Doctor Who: Tin Dog Podcast

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TDP 1506: For Your Consideration - Sapphire And Steel 10/12/2026

TDP 1506: For Your Consideration - Sapphire And Steel Sapphire & Steel Appearance hide Text Small Standard Large Width Standard Wide Color Automatic Light Dark From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This article needs . Please help by . Unsourced material may be challenged and . Find sources: – · · · · (July 2019) () Sapphire & Steel Genre Created by Starring Composer Country of origin United Kingdom Original language English ) Production Executive producer David Reid Producer Shaun O'Riordan Running time 25 minutes Production company / Original release Network Release 10 July 1979 – 31 August 1982 Sapphire & Steel is a British television series starring and . Produced by , it ran from 1979 to 1982 on the network. The series was created by who conceived the programme under the working title The Time Menders, after a stay in an allegedly haunted castle. Hammond also wrote all the stories except for the fifth, which was co-written by and . From 2005 to 2008, Sapphire & Steel returned in a series of audio dramas produced by , starring and as the main characters. Series overview and as Sapphire and Steel (from Adventure 3) Premise The opening credits include the narration: All irregularities will be handled by the forces controlling each dimension. heavy elements may not be used where there is life. Medium atomic weights are available: Gold, Lead, Copper, Jet, Diamond, Radium, Sapphire, Silver and Steel. Sapphire and Steel have been assigned. In the sixth and final assignment, Lead was replaced with Mercury in the opening credits. The programme centres on a pair of interdimensional operatives named Sapphire and Steel. Very little is revealed about their purposes or backgrounds in the course of the series but they appear to be engaged in guarding the continuing flow of time. They are two of a number of elements that assume human form and are sent to investigate strange events; others include Lead (Val Pringle), who takes the aspect of a jovial, friendly giant, and Silver (), a technician who can melt metals in his hands. In the series, it is explained that Time is like a progressing corridor that surrounds everything, but there are weak spots where Time—implied to be a malignant force—can break into the present and take things. There are also creatures from the beginnings and ends of time that roam the corridor looking for the same weak spots to break through. These breaks are most often triggered by the presence of something old in a modern situation, for example a traditional nursery rhyme, an old photograph, or a house decorated with antiques. Holding onto something of the past opposes progress and allows 'Time' to break into the present – the more old things present, the easier it is for this to occur (such as is seen in episode 1 where the two-century-old house, in which a traditional nursery rhyme has been read hundreds of times as a bedtime story, is full of clocks and other antiques). When this breaking-in of 'Time' occurs, Investigators will be sent to assess the situation and then, if intervention is warranted, Operators are assigned to deal with the problem by a mysterious unseen authority, to be assisted by Specialists if necessary. Each adventure usually starts with Sapphire and Steel simply showing up, seemingly out of nowhere, although sometimes they are already present when the story begins. They will then investigate and mingle with various humans, although it is nearly always the location the humans are in which is of the most interest: an old house which dates back to the 18th century, an abandoned , a lost property shop, a modern-day motorway petrol station, and so on. The stories are generally quite cryptic, raising more questions than answers, and have an eerie air to them, being as much as they are science fiction. The ambiguous nature of the programme extends to its main characters. While Sapphire is portrayed as more affable and "human" than the no-nonsense, grim Steel, it is clear that their prime concern is to deal with the break in Time, sometimes over the safety of the humans caught in the incidents they investigate. The general tone of the series is however forward-looking; that old things are dangerous, and that the past should be left behind or an evil force will be able to enter through those old things. In this situation, progress and newness are portrayed as the protecting force against 'Time'. Characters ITV stated in 1980 that Sapphire and Steel are not human. Their abilities and manner are strange. Steel, for example, often has gaps in his knowledge of human culture and even Sapphire's grace is tempered with a cool detachment from the humans they interact with. In Adventure 5, Steel confirms that they were alien, "in the sense." The two also refer to being involved in the mystery of the , and in one case state they will be waiting for a ship to surface in seventy-five years. This could mean they are either exceptionally long-lived or some kind of is involved. P. J. Hammond confirmed the former hypothesis in a 1993 interview. Sapphire and Steel, who are Operators, are occasionally assisted by other beings, including Lead and Silver. Silver is stated in Adventure 6 to be a Specialist rather than an Operator. There are 127 operatives in total, including 12 , which cannot be assigned where life exists. Although they are described as , many of the code names are non-elements, such as , , and , although these could be pseudonyms for aesthetics or discretion. Sapphire also has a flirtatious relationship with Silver, contributing to an air of underlying sexual tension on the occasions that Silver is called upon to assist the duo. The relationship between Steel and Sapphire similarly exhibits occasional tension, as evidenced in Adventure 2 when Steel admits feeling love for Sapphire and, at one point, even kissing her on the cheek. In Adventure 1, Lead mentioned that Jet sent Steel her love and that Silver was having relationship troubles with Copper "again". Among Sapphire's abilities is the power to manipulate time in small ways as well as determine the age or historical details of an object by touching it (). This latter ability is referred to in Adventure 2 as "spot analysis". Her most prominent ability is to "take back time," literally rewinding it in a localised area to see or replay the past. She states in Adventure 1 that she cannot take time back twenty-four hours; in the last episode of the same adventure, at Steel's request she takes time back "half a day". In Adventure 2, she is able to "hold time for a day", when another (in this case, the creature seen as the darkness) takes time back over multiple days. Whether this is an improvement in abilities or a different skill entirely is not made clear. She also exhibits an ability to obtain information about people – their ages and backgrounds as well as psychological insights into their personality – just by being close to them. Sometimes it appears that she does not discover this information herself but is receiving the information from some external source. In Adventure 2, it is stated that the age at which a living person will die is not estimated but recorded, that it is a historical fact. Nothing else is revealed in the television series as to the extent or nature of any such records, or to what extent Sapphire uses them in relation to information obtained directly. She can also manipulate people's emotions, and project illusions. When she uses her powers, her irises will usually glow blue or, under some circumstances, turquoise. Steel, on the other hand, can freeze himself to which gives him the ability to destroy '', which are in actuality remnants of Time. He apparently possesses immense strength (in Adventure 3 he ties knots in cables to prevent the lift from being used) and a degree of invulnerability. He also exhibits abilities, being able to paralyse people with a look, weld metal with his bare hands or undo deadbolts with a gesture. Both Sapphire and Steel (as well as all Operatives) also appear to be able to teleport a great distance. The operatives can also communicate telepathically with each other, and in Adventure 5, Sapphire grants this ability to a human being, whom she dubs "Brass" for the duration. Sapphire removes this ability at the end of the story. It is also suggested in Adventure 5 that other powers can be granted. It is hinted, in the debate that ensues between Sapphire and Steel after Sapphire gives Brass his abilities, that different powers are classed at different levels, with telepathy being considered one of the most basic. It is not made clear in the series as to what boundaries exist on the skills of operatives. In Adventure 2, Steel cannot perform "spot analysis", as it is not his field, but in Adventure 4, Sapphire and Steel together are specifically able to replicate Silver's ability to transmutate by remembering what he did. Other operatives that appear also have special powers. Silver (played by ), a Specialist who is designated as a Technician, is good with electronics and gadgets, is able to transform one small object into another, and is even able to replicate small objects out of nothing. He can also create long-lasting visual images of objects too large to replicate, although the exact parameters for such images are never revealed. Lead (played by Val Pringle), on the other hand, possesses superhuman strength and can act as needed insulation for Steel when he freezes himself to extreme temperatures. Production and transmission The programme ran for four years and 34 episodes, each lasting about 25 minutes and generally included a of the preceding episode. The first and second stories were shown in the summer of 1979, the second story's transmission interrupted by at the ITV network which led to a repeat of the story in 1979. The third and fourth stories were transmitted in January 1981, and the fifth in August 1981 with a sixth story "in the can" for future transmission. The audience figures were unusually high for a science fantasy series with the first episode, gaining 11.8 million viewers and finishing as the fourth most watched programme of the week across all channels. This continued with a further seven episodes of the first year appearing in the top 20. Three more episodes in 1981 and one in 1982 also entered the top 20 ratings. By this time, production costs were increasing. The programme had been allocated a minuscule production budget, which led to the use of simple staging and minimal , ultimately contributing to the uneasy atmosphere of the show. The high profile and limited availability of the principal actors, Lumley and McCallum, meant that shooting was somewhat sporadic, and the programme's producers ATV were in the process of being reorganised into the new ; all factors which led to the series' demise. Central felt that viewers might mistake the new programmes for repeats of old ones, and broadcast the final, four-part story in late August 1982 to very little fanfare. Despite this, the first episode gained a high rating and finished in the top 20 most-watched programmes of the week. The show has never been repeated on UK terrestrial television, but some episodes were shown on the satellite and cable station in the mid-1990s. The program is available free online at ShoutFactoryTV.com and , and with a subscription at or . The UK digital channel acquired the series, showing two episodes each weekday evening from 1 June 2020. The complete series was added to in August, 2020 and is currently also available to stream free in the UK on ITVX Player. The UK digital channel Rewind TV began showing the series, again two episodes each day from October 2024. As of April 2025, episodes 1-6 of Adventure One - Escape Through A Crack In Time are available to view on the ITV Retro YouTube Channel. Television stories For more information see None of the stories had on-screen titles, or any official titles assigned by the writers. The Region 1 Complete Series DVD release gives the titles "Escape Through a Crack in Time", "The Railway Station", "The Creature's Revenge", "The Man Without a Face", "Dr McDee Must Die" and "The Trap", respectively. These titles have often been cited as having been created by science fiction magazine Time Screen. Further reading reveals that in the booklet for the series, written by Tim Worthington, and included with the most recent DVD box set, on page 7 there is this quote regarding titles from creator P. J. Hammond "I never gave titles to the stories. Neither did the production department. I think certain fanbases may have made up their own titles in order to discuss and analyse various stories." The various British home video releases title the stories as "Adventure" or "Assignment" I through VI. The booklet also says, on the same page, "some sources have claimed that these were taken from the original scripts, whereas others dismiss them as an invention on the part of a science fiction fanzine, although the editor of the fanzine in question denies that they were ever used within its pages" and furthermore that "the show's distributors have never knowingly used them." The final television story ends on a . Apparently resentful of Sapphire and Steel's independence, a higher authority sends entities known as Transient Beings (similar to the operatives but until now trapped in the past), to set a trap for them in a motorway café. The serial concludes with Silver dispatched to an unknown fate –and Sapphire and Steel being trapped in the café, floating through space, apparently for eternity. The cliffhanger has never been resolved, although Hammond has stated that vague plans existed for further adventures. This was also stated by Joanna Lumley in her autobiography, who remembered that they were told that this was merely an end-of-series cliffhanger, and that Sapphire and Steel would be freed at the start of the next series. However, in an interview with (#329, cover date: 30 April 2003), David Collings recalled that although another series was planned, Joanna Lumley and David McCallum both decided that they had had enough and did not wish to do any more. Merchandise Sapphire & Steel of the first adventure One novelisation of the series was released. The first story of the series was released by Star Books in 1979 and was written by Peter J. Hammond. A two-page coloured Sapphire & Steel picture strip, written by and drawn by , appeared in the magazine. It ran for a total of 76 issues from 1979-1981 – with a break of 13 issues between runs – and formed 14 untitled stories. It would appear that Ranson used photographs of Joanna Lumley and David McCallum from the first television adventure for reference, as Sapphire and Steel are almost always depicted wearing the outfits from this story. In the third story, Lead makes a cameo appearance and displays a further power: turning British soldiers from the Napoleonic War into miniature (and presumably lead) toy soldiers. However, the picture strip version of Lead – though depicted as a powerfully built black man – was not based upon Val Pringle who played the part on television; it can only be assumed that Ranson had very little in the way of photographic reference material in this case. In addition, a one-off Sapphire & Steel text story titled The Albatross was published in the 1981 Look-In Annual. This was illustrated in black-and-white by Arthur Ranson. Only one Sapphire & Steel Annual was published, in late 1980, by World International Publishing Ltd, and featured a number of text stories and features. The front cover used the same photograph as that on P.J. Hammond's 1979 Star Books novelisation of Adventure One. P.J. Hammond did not write the stories for Sapphire & Steel Annual 1981, but he was sent proofs to read in advance of publication. His only reservations with the stories were that Sapphire and Steel were able to move back in time, which he felt tended to contradict the premise set in the television series that Time was only allowed to break into the present day. However, this did not worry Hammond too much as, like Look-In, the Annual was aimed at younger readers. Home media The series was released twice on home video during the 1990s, with each serial available separately as a single or double-cassette set. Stories were labelled "Adventure" in the first releases (in lieu of story titles) and "Assignment" for the second release. In 2002, the series was released for the first time on DVD, in the UK. Originally, it was released as two box-sets, with the first three stories on one (20 episodes) and the final three on the other (14 episodes). Also in the UK, Network Distributing Ltd Home Entertainment released the complete series on DVD on 5 November 2007. The six-disc set features a new documentary and commentaries. On 26 May 2008, the complete series box-set was re-released with new packaging. In the US, , under license from , released the entire series on Region 1 DVD on 28 December 2004 and re-released the complete series on 27 August 2013. On 20th March 2025, the official ITV Retro YouTube page - a channel dedicated to archiving classic ITV programming - uploaded Assignment One as an edited continuous HD video, running 2hrs 10mins, with Assignments Two through Six uploaded in a similar 'movie' format over the following month (the longest running being Assignment Two at just over three hours). Audio plays For more information see In late May 2004, announced that it had secured the rights to produce a new series of Sapphire & Steel for release on CD. However, neither McCallum nor Lumley reprised their roles: McCallum was working in the and Lumley declined to play Sapphire again. The characters were recast, with and taking over the roles. The range is produced by and . The character of Gold (played by ) appears in the first adventure and returns in and . He is portrayed as impatient and inexperienced when dealing with both humans and the various manifestations of Time, even more detached and clinical in many ways than Steel, almost as if he is still in training. The character of Ruby (played by ) appears in the second series story , reappearing in and . Her character has an understanding and affinity to Time within the rhythms of music, and also comes across as rather dry and sardonic, especially when interacting with Steel. David Collings reprises his role as Silver in the third and fifth stories of the first series of audio plays and then again in the third story of the third series. During the production of each series, Nigel Fairs has had to step in at late notice to write a replacement script (writing from John Ainsworth's outline in series one, replacing 's Big Fun with Cruel Immortality in series two and replacing 's Reborn with Second Sight in series three). Big Finish originally said that the new stories would be set before the climactic final story of the television series. Still, the released plays are actually set after assignment 6. At the start of The Passenger, the characters comment that it has been a long time since they last worked together and, in , imply that they were freed in some unspecified way by Silver. At the end of , Sapphire and Steel once again find themselves trapped. The following story, sees the characters 'reborn' once more - this time in the guise of two young Australians, played by and . At the end of Second Sight, however, Ruby was able to release the previous incarnations of Sapphire and Steel from their trap - with David Warner and Susannah Harker reprising their roles for the rest of the series.... /episode/index/show/tindog/id/43206143

TDP 1505: NEW Doctor Who CBBC Show Image 10/07/2026

TDP 1503: Starcops from #Bigfinish REVIEW - Adrift 10/05/2026

TDP 1503: Starcops from #Bigfinish REVIEW - Adrift When a stolen cargo shuttle drifts back into lunar orbit, seemingly deserted, Nathan and Paul investigate. They uncover a conspiracy involving hijacking, smuggling - and claims of a creature on the loose. Script editor Andrew Smith said: "Conflict is the most epic story we've told in Star Cops, with the stakes higher than they've ever been, not just for our heroes but for all mankind. In this concluding set of three episodes, the threat of global conflict builds towards a climax. "Georgia Cook is a hugely welcome new member of the writing team. In Adrift, she's applied her expertise in the horror genre to deliver an episode where, as the Star Cops are dealing with the fallout from a tragedy, they're faced with a mystery that raises the question - could there actually be monster aliens in space? "We're now starting the final three parts of Star Cops – Conflict. Georgia's episode Adrift is kind of a standalone, though we've got the background, as we have throughout the whole of the Conflict set, of world tensions growing. " When I asked Georgia to come on board, I was aware that her particular genre is horror and I thought that would be an interesting thing to explore in a Star Cops context. So that was her brief: 'Can you give us a story with a real horror vibe?' Georgia really runs with it and puts our main characters through the mill, it’s fair to say." Writer Georgia Cook added: "It was certainly nerve-wracking to pick up from such a dramatic and impactful last episode. All the characters are still reeling from the aftermath, but aren't given much time to process before they're thrown back into work. "I love the whole crew of Star Cops. Everyone is such an interesting and well-rounded character, each dealing with the trials of space and their jobs in their own way. It's been such a delight adding to everyone's extended Big Finish canon." (Nathan Spring) (Inspector Colin Devis) (Chief Superintendent Pal Kenzy) (Alexandra Myers) (Howard Lesser) (Inspector Alice Okoro) (Inspector Paul Bailey) (Bram Calvis) (Julia Zheng) /episode/index/show/tindog/id/43083348

TDP 1504: Tin Dog Book Review - Starship Troopers 10/01/2026

TDP 1504: Tin Dog Book Review - Starship Troopers notes from wiki This article is about the novel. For the 1997 film, see . For other uses, see . Starship Troopers First edition hardcover Author Cover artist Language English Genre Publisher Publication date November 5, 1959 Publication place United States Media type Print (hardcover and paperback) Pages 263 (paperback edition) Award (1960) PZ7.H368 Su Starship Troopers is a novel by American writer . Written in a few weeks in reaction to the US , the story was first published as a two-part serial in as Starship Soldier, and published as a book by on November 5, 1959. The story is set in a future society ruled by a human interstellar government called the Terran Federation, dominated by a military elite. Under the Terran Federation, only veterans of a primarily military Federal Service enjoy full citizenship, including the right to vote. The follows Juan "Johnny" Rico, a young man of descent, through his military service in the Mobile Infantry. He progresses from recruit to against the backdrop of an interstellar war between humans and an alien species known as "Arachnids" or "Bugs". Interspersed with the primary plot are classroom scenes in which Rico and others discuss philosophical and moral issues, including aspects of , , , and war; these discussions have been described as expounding Heinlein's own political views. Identified with a tradition of in US science fiction, the novel draws parallels between the conflict between humans and the Bugs, and the . It is also a , which criticizes the US society of the 1950s, arguing that a lack of discipline had led to a moral decline, and advocating and . Starship Troopers brought to an end . It won the in 1960, and was praised by reviewers for its scenes of training and combat and its visualization of a future military. It also became enormously controversial because of the political views it seemed to support. Reviewers were strongly critical of the book's intentional glorification of the military, an aspect described as propaganda and likened to . The novel's militarism, and the fact that government service – most often military service – was a prerequisite to the right to vote, led to it being frequently described as . Others disagree, arguing that Heinlein was only exploring the idea of limiting the right to vote to a certain group of people. Heinlein's depiction of gender has also been questioned, while reviewers have said that the terms used to describe the aliens were akin to . Starship Troopers had wide influence both within and outside science fiction. stated that "the political strand in [science fiction] can be described as a dialogue with Heinlein". Science fiction critic wrote that it is the "ancestral text of US science fiction militarism" and that it shaped the debate about the role of the military in society for many years. The novel is credited with popularizing the idea of , which became a recurring feature in science fiction books and films, as well as an object of scientific research. Heinlein's depiction of a futuristic military was also influential. Later science fiction books, such as 's 1974 anti-war novel , have been described as reactions to Starship Troopers. The story was adapted several times, including in a directed by that satirized what the director saw as the fascist aspects of the novel. Writing and publication The cover of (November 1959), illustrating Starship Soldier Robert Heinlein was among the best-selling science fiction authors of the 1940s and 1950s, along with and ; they were known as the "big three" that dominated US science fiction. In contrast to the others, Heinlein firmly endorsed the anti-communist sentiment of the era in his writing. Heinlein served in the US Navy for five years after graduating from the in 1929. His experience in the military profoundly influenced his fiction. At some point between 1958 and 1959, Heinlein put aside the novel that would become and wrote Starship Troopers. His motivation arose partially from his anger at US President 's , and the Soviet tests that occurred soon afterward. Writing in his 1980 volume , Heinlein would say that the publication of a newspaper advertisement placed by the on April 5, 1958, calling for a unilateral suspension of by the United States sparked his desire to write Starship Troopers. Heinlein and his wife created the "" in an attempt to create support for the US nuclear testing program. Heinlein stated that he used the novel to clarify his military and political views. Like many of Heinlein's books, Starship Troopers was completed in a few weeks. It was originally written as a for New York publishing house ; Heinlein had previously had success with this format, having written several such novels published by that publisher. The manuscript was rejected, prompting Heinlein to end his association with that publisher completely, and to resume writing books with adult themes. Scholars have suggested that Scribner's rejection was based on ideological objections to the content of the novel, particularly in its treatment of military conflict. first published Starship Troopers in October and November 1959 as a two-part titled Starship Soldier. A senior editor at Putnam's, Peter Israel, purchased the manuscript and approved revisions that made it more marketable to adults. Asked whether it was aimed at children or adults, he said at a sales conference "Let's let the readers decide who likes it." The novel was eventually published by . Setting Set approximately 700 years in the future, the book depicts an Earth ruled by a run by military veterans. The society is depicted as affluent, and futuristic technology shown as coexisting with educational methods from the 20th century. The rights of a full citizen, to vote and hold public office, are not universally guaranteed, and rather must be earned through Federal Service. Those who do not perform this service (of which only military service has been described) retain the rights of free speech and assembly, but can neither vote nor hold public office. People of either sex above the age of 18 are permitted to enlist; only those who complete their service receive the right to vote. Important government jobs are reserved for federal service veterans. This structure arose ad hoc after the collapse of the "20th century Western democracies", driven in part by an inability to control crime and , particularly in North America, and a war between an alliance of the United States, the United Kingdom and Russia, against the "Chinese Hegemony". Two extraterrestrial civilizations are depicted, respectively, as the "Pseudo-Arachnids" (or "Bugs"), and the "Skinnies". The "Bugs" are described as communal beings originating from the planet of Klendathu, and consist of multiple castes; workers, warriors, brains, and queens, similar to those of and on Earth. The warriors are the only ones who fight, and are unable to surrender in battle. It also is implied that the Bugs are technologically advanced, possessing such technologies as spaceships. The "Skinnies" are depicted as less communal than the Arachnids, yet more so than humans. The events of the novel take place during an interstellar war between the Terran Federation and the Arachnids. At the opening of the story, Earth is not at war, yet such a declaration has come when Rico has completed his training. The "Skinnies" are initially allies of the Pseudo-Arachnids, but switch to alliance with humans, midway through the novel. travel exists in this future: spacecraft use the "Cherenkov drive", and can travel " to , forty-six , in under six weeks". Starship Troopers is narrated by the main protagonist Juan "Johnny" Rico, a member of the "Mobile Infantry". It is one of the few Heinlein novels which intersperses his typical linear narrative structure with a series of flashbacks. These flashbacks are frequently to Rico's "History and Moral Philosophy" course in school, in which the teacher discusses the history of the structure of their society. Rico is depicted as a man of . He is from a wealthy family, whose members had never served in the military. Rico's ancestry is depicted as inconsequential, society having finally abandoned racial and gender-based prejudice. Plot The novel opens with Rico aboard the corvette transport Rodger Young (named after real life recipient ), serving with the platoon known as "Rasczak's Roughnecks". The platoon carries out a raid against a planetary colony held by Skinnies. The raid is relatively brief: the platoon lands on the planet, destroys its targets, and retreats, suffering two casualties in the process. One of them, Dizzy Flores, is rescued by Rico but dies while returning to orbit. The narrative then flashes back to Rico's graduation from high school. Rico and his best friend Carl are considering joining the Federal Service after graduation; Rico is hesitant, partly due to his father's attitude towards the military. Rico makes his decision after discovering that his classmate Carmen Ibañez also intends to enlist. Rico's choice is taken poorly by his parents, and he leaves with a sense of estrangement. He is assigned to the Mobile Infantry, and moves to Camp Arthur Currie (named for Sir who rose through the ranks to command the in ) on the Canadian prairie for his training under Sergeant Charles Zim. The training is extremely demanding. Rico receives combat training of all types, including simulated fights in armored suits. A fellow recruit is court-martialed, flogged, and dismissed for striking a drill instructor who was also his company commander. Rico himself is given five lashes for firing a rocket during a drill with armored suits and simulated nuclear weapons without ensuring that no friendlies were within the blast zone, which in combat would have resulted in the death of a fellow soldier. Another recruit, who murdered a baby girl after deserting the army, is hanged by his battalion after his arrest by civilian police. Disheartened, Rico thinks of resigning when he receives a letter from Jean Dubois, who taught Rico . Dubois reveals that he was once a in the Mobile Infantry, which gives Rico the motivation not to resign. After further training at another camp near , Rico graduates with 187 others, of the 2,009 who had begun training in that regiment. The "Bug War" has changed from minor incidents to a full-scale war during Rico's training. An Arachnid attack that annihilates the city of alerts civilians to the situation; Rico's mother is killed in the attack. Rico participates in the Battle of Klendathu, an attack on the Arachnid's home world, which turns into a disastrous defeat for the Terran Federation. Rico's ship, the Valley Forge, is destroyed, and his unit is decimated; he is reassigned to the Roughnecks on board the Rodger Young, led by Lieutenant Rasczak and Sergeant Jelal. The unit carries out several raids, and Rico is promoted to corporal by Jelal after Rasczak dies in combat. One of his comrades in the Roughnecks suggests that Rico go to officer training school and try to become an officer. Rico ends up going to see Jelal, and finds that Jelal already had the paperwork ready. Rico enters for a second course of training, including further courses in "History and Moral Philosophy". En route from the Roughnecks to the school Rico encounters his father who has also enlisted and is now a corporal, and the two reconcile. He is also visited in school by Carmen, now an ensign and ship's pilot officer in the Navy, and the two discuss their friend Carl, who had been killed earlier in the war. Rico is commissioned a temporary third lieutenant for his final test: a posting to a combat unit. Under the tutelage of his company commander, Captain Blackstone, and with the aid of his platoon sergeant, his boot camp drill instructor Fleet Sergeant Zim, Rico commands a platoon during "Operation Royalty", a raid to capture members of the Arachnid brain caste and queens. Rico then returns to the officer school to graduate. The novel ends with him holding the rank of second lieutenant, in command of his old platoon in the Rodger Young, with his father as his platoon sergeant. The platoon has been renamed "Rico's Roughnecks", and is about to participate in an attack on Klendathu. Themes Robert Heinlein in 1976 Commentators have written that Starship Troopers is not driven by its plot, though it contains scenes of military combat. Instead, much of the novel is given over to a discussion of ideas. In particular, the discussion of political views is a recurring feature of what scholar Jeffrey Cass described as an "ideologically intense" book. A 1997 review in categorized it as a "". Critics have debated to what extent the novel promotes Heinlein's own political views. Some contend that the novel maintains a sense of irony that allows readers to draw their own conclusions; others argue that Heinlein is sermonizing throughout the book, and that its purpose is to expound Heinlein's militaristic philosophy. Militarism Starship Troopers has been identified as being a part of a tradition in American science fiction that assumes that violent conflict and the militarization of society are inevitable and necessary. Although the Mobile Infantry, the force to which Rico is assigned, is seen as a lowly post by the characters in the story, the novel itself suggests that it is the heart of the army and the most honorable unit in it. In a commentary written in 1980, Heinlein agreed that Starship Troopers "glorifies the military ... Specifically the P.B.I., the , the mudfoot who places his frail body between his loved home and the war's desolation – but is rarely appreciated ... he has the toughest job of all and should be honored." The story is based on the idea of society as a struggle for survival based on military strength. It suggests that some conflicts must be resolved by force: one of the lessons Rico is repeatedly taught is that violence can be an effective method of settling conflict. These suggestions derive in part from Heinlein's view that in the 1950s the US government was being too conciliatory in its dealings with communist China and the Soviet Union. Heinlein draws an analogy between the human society in the novel, which is well-to-do but needs to be vigilant against the imperialist threat of the Arachnids, and US society of the 1950s. Reviewers have suggested that the Arachnids are Heinlein's analogue for communists. Traits used to support this include the communal nature of the Arachnids, which makes them capable of a much higher degree of coordination than the humans. Bug society is once explicitly described as communist, and is moreover depicted as communist by nature; this has been read as implying that those with a different political ideology are analogous to alien beings. The related motifs of alien invasion, patriotism, and personal sacrifice during war, are present, as are other aspects of US popular culture of the 1950s. Commentators have argued that Heinlein's portrayal of aliens, as well as being a reference to 1950s communist countries, aims to "reinscribe the ideologies of America's mythic history". The concept of the frontier includes a social-Darwinist argument of constantly fighting for survival, even at the expense of indigenous people or, in the case of Starship Troopers, of aliens. Heinlein suggests that without territorial expansion involving violent conquest of other races, humans would be destroyed. Scholar Jamie King has stated that Heinlein does not address the question of what the military government and Federal Service would do in peacetime, and argues that Heinlein has set up a society designed to be continuously at war, and to keep expanding its territory. Coming of age Starship Troopers has been referred to as a or "" story for Rico, as he matures through his tenure in the infantry. His training, both at boot camp and at officer candidate school, involves learning the value of , thus inviting the reader to learn it as well. This is especially true of the parts of his training that involve indoctrination, such as the claim by one of his instructors that rule by military veterans is the ideal form of government, because only they understand how to put collective well-being above the individual. The story traces Rico's transformation from a boy into a soldier, while exploring issues of identity and motivation, and traces his overall moral and social development, in a manner identified by commentators as similar to many stories about German soldiers in . Rico's transformation has been likened to the common narrative within stories with military themes by scholar . This typical narrative is that of a sloppy and unfit civilian being knocked into shape by tough officers, whose training is "calculated sadism" but is depicted as fundamentally being on the right side. The letter Rico receives from Dubois, partly responsible for Rico "crossing the hump" with his training, is shown as a turning point in his development. The classroom scenes embedded in the story serve to explain Rico's adventures, and highlight his reactions to events around. A notable example is the execution Rico is forced to witness after a deserter from his unit murders a young girl; Rico is uncertain of his own reaction until he remembers a lecture by Dubois in which the latter argues that "moral sense" derives entirely from the will to survive. The concept of the American frontier is also related to the coming-of-age theme. Young protagonists across Heinlein's novels attain manhood by confronting a hostile "wilderness" in space; coming-of-age in a military, alien context is a common theme in Heinlein's earlier works as well. Rico's coming-of-age has also been described as being related to his relationship with his father; the journey "outward" through the novel also contains a search for Rico's childhood and a reunion with his estranged parent. Moral decline Starship Troopers also critiques US society of the 1950s, suggesting that it led young people to be spoiled and undisciplined. These beliefs are expressed through the classroom lectures of Dubois, Rico's teacher for History and Moral Philosophy. Dubois praises and other types of as a means of addressing juvenile crimes. It has been suggested that Heinlein endorsed this view, although the fact that Dubois also compares raising children to training a puppy has been used to argue that Heinlein was making use of . The story is strongly in favor of corporal punishment and capital punishment, as a means of correcting , part of a trend in science fiction which examines technology and outer space in an innovative manner, but is reactionary with respect to human relationships. As with other books by Heinlein, traditional schools are denigrated, while learning "on the spot" is extolled: Rico is able to master the things required of him in military training without undue difficulty. Dubois also ridicules the idea of , such as "", arguing that people have only the rights that they are willing to fight and die for to protect. The novel appeals to scientific authority to justify this position; Dubois repeatedly states that his argument is mathematically demonstrable, statements which have led scholars to label the novel "", despite its social and political themes. The "moral decline" caused by this situation is depicted as having caused a global war between an alliance of the US, Britain, and Russia against the "Chinese Hegemony" in the year 1987. Despite the alliance between the US and Russia, this war has been described as demonstrating Heinlein's anti-communist beliefs, which saw "swarming hordes" of Chinese as a bigger threat. The novel draws some comparisons between the Chinese and the Arachnids, and suggests that the lessons of one war could be applied... /episode/index/show/tindog/id/43083313

TDP 1502: MERCY Movie review 09/28/2026

TDP 1502: MERCY Movie review Mercy is a 2026 American written by Marco van Belle, directed by , and starring and . The plot involves a detective (Pratt), who is accused of murdering his wife, and must prove his innocence to an (Ferguson). The film also stars , , , and . Mercy was released in the United States by and internationally by on January 23, 2026. The film grossed $54.7 million worldwide against a $60 million budget. Plot In 2029 , the Mercy Capital Court responds to a surge in crime by using artificial intelligence (AI) judges to try defendants for violent offenses. To assemble evidence, all devices are also registered to the municipal cloud to allow the AI judge to pass judgement. The AI judge also gives the defendants all available resources to find and provide all the evidence needed to prove their innocence in 90 minutes, or be executed via a sonic blast. Detective Christopher "Chris" Raven, a strong proponent of the court, is strapped to a chair, put on trial for his wife Nicole's murder, and is given 90 minutes to persuade the AI judge of his innocence. Presiding over his case is the AI Judge Maddox. All the evidence points to Chris having killed his wife, as her blood was found on his clothing and doorbell camera footage places him at their home shortly before her murder. Chris's guilt probability is 97.5%, which qualifies him for execution unless his evidence lowers it to 92% for reasonable doubt and 80% for a Mercy Trial. Since AIs are not allowed to take a human life, the chair is set on a 90 minute timer not controlled by the AI, and it is the defendant’s responsibility to lower their score and this allows the AI to unlock the chair before the timer runs out. Via Maddox's unrestricted access and abilities, Chris learns that Nicole was seeing another man, Patrick Burke. Chris's partner Jacqueline "Jaq" Diallo finds Patrick who confides that Nicole felt unable to communicate her troubles to Chris about work. Her work email records show reports of missing chemicals. Recalling hosting a work barbecue with Nicole, Chris reviews footage to better identify her co-workers. While looking for evidence, Chris confronts his relapse in sobriety following the murder of his former partner, Ray Vale, and regrets not shooting the suspect who was later acquitted. Relapsing into alcoholism led to Chris's aggression toward Nicole, and she began to consider a divorce. Maddox shows Chris records of one co-worker, Holt Charles, who had financial issues and had discussed the chemical disappearance with Robert "Rob" Nelson, Chris's sobriety sponsor. Suspecting Holt may have killed Nicole, Chris tries to contact Rob. Holt instead answers the phone and he explains that Rob is responsible for the missing chemicals. Chris reviews his daughter Britt's social media posts, which reveal that a stranger had been hiding in their basement since the barbecue. His neighbor's security cameras display a rustling in the bushes, and Rob is seen exiting the neighbor's trunk in parking lot surveillance footage. Chris sends Jaq to Rob's house, warning her and her team that he might be armed. The team arrive at Rob's house, finding it empty, but uncover detailed plans in the shed to craft a bomb. Maddox discovers that Rob's brother, David Webb, who was separated from him after Rob was adopted and given a new name, was the first person Mercy Court executed for murder. Chris realizes that Rob is orchestrating revenge against him and the Court. Chris is officially acquitted for the murder, but refuses to end the trial to exploit Maddox's unrestricted access. He tries to contact Britt, but footage from her grandparents' front door shows Rob kidnapping her and taking her into a stolen semi-truck. A bomb goes off in the shed killing most of the SWAT team. Jaq pursues Rob, who is transporting explosives toward Mercy Court to destroy the building with Chris inside. The police divert Rob away from Mercy Court, and Jaq, assuming command, orders the task force to blow up the truck. Chris pleads with Jaq but she refuses to yield to him. The bomb fails to detonate and Jaq attempts to shoot Rob directly. Rob arrives at Mercy Court, crashing into the building and causing a network glitch that requires a system reset. Maddox reboots in time to release Chris from the chair before the trial ends with his execution. Chris confronts Rob, working with Maddox to distract Rob by having Mercy Court reopen David Webb’s case and demanding Rob to submit his new evidence immediately. Chris then disarms Rob as he speaks and wants to kill him, but is talked down by Britt. Jaq arrives and shoots Rob. Rob provides new evidence that he was on the phone with David when the murder took place, but the police would not listen. Maddox confirms the call's timing and location which placed the phone away from the crime scene. Then Maddox retrieved footage that showed Jaq retrieving that phone from David, removing it from evidence, and dumping it in the river. Jaq explains she wanted to ensure that David was found guilty in the first judgement issued by an AI court to prove the system worked. Jaq and Rob are both taken into custody while Britt reconciles with Chris, whose case is formally dismissed. Maddox and Chris admit mistakes were made by humans and AI and they must learn from their mistakes. Cast and star in the film. as Det. Christopher "Chris" Raven, an LAPD officer who is on trial for the murder of his wife as Judge Maddox, an AI who is part of the Mercy program as Jacqueline "Jaq" Diallo, Chris's police partner as Nicole Raven, Chris's late wife as Robert "Rob" Nelson, Chris's sponsor and Nicole's co-worker as Britt Raven, Chris's daughter as Ray Vale, Chris's late partner as Holt Charles, a co-worker of Nicole as Patrick Burke, a man Nicole was seeing before she died Tom Rezvan as a governor Production It was announced in January 2024 that a science fiction thriller film entitled Mercy was being made for with starring, directed by from a script by Marco Van Belle and produced by , Robert Amidon, Bekmambetov, and Majd Nassif. In March, and joined the cast in undisclosed roles. In April, , , , , and joined the cast. In May, joined the cast of the film. began on April 18, 2024, in , with Khalid Mohtaseb serving as the cinematographer. Pratt suffered an ankle injury on day four of filming, posting a photo of a swollen ankle on his Instagram page. Filming on May 23, 2024. Music was revealed to have composed the score in January 2026. Release Mercy was shown early for patrons of and on January 19, 2026, as part of their Screen Unseen and Monday Mystery Movie programs, respectively. This made it the first IMAX film to be released via the programs. Mercy was released in the United States on January 23, 2026, in and , having previously been due for release on August 15, 2025. The film was released on digital on February 17, 2026, and on , , and on April 7, 2026 by Alliance Entertainment and . /episode/index/show/tindog/id/42973023

TDP 1501: Doctor Who 9th Doctor Dark Tides 09/24/2026

TDP 1499: Project Hail Mary REVIEW 09/21/2026

TDP 1499: Project Hail Mary REVIEW Project Hail Mary is a 2026 produced and directed by and written by , based on the 2021 by . It stars , who also produced the film, as Ryland Grace, and , , and play supporting roles. The story follows Ryland Grace, a middle school teacher who awakens aboard an interstellar spacecraft with no memory of how he got there. Pre-production began in 2020, before Weir's novel was published. Filming took place throughout 2024 in the United Kingdom, both on location and on sets. All scenes aboard the spacecraft Hail Mary were filmed on a practical set that was constructed for the film. Project Hail Mary premiered in London on March 9, 2026, and was released in the United States by on March 20, with releasing in other territories. It received positive reviews, with praise for Lord and Miller's direction, Gosling's performance, the character of Rocky, as well as the humor, themes and visuals. It was a commercial success, grossing over $685 million worldwide and becoming the . Plot In the near future, middle school teacher and former Ryland Grace wakes up from an on the Hail Mary, suffering from amnesia. Grace learns that he is the sole survivor of a three-person crew that was traveling towards the system, 11.9 from Earth. In a series of flashbacks, Grace recalls that scientists discovered a "Petrova line" of stretching from the to ; an alien microbe in the line, dubbed "astrophage", was proliferating on the Sun's surface, dimming the Sun at a rate that would cause catastrophic within thirty years. The head of the Petrova Taskforce, Eva Stratt, recruited Grace to study it due to his background in speculative . Grace experimented on a sample and discovered that astrophage was composed of that absorb from the Sun and expel it for . Grace joined Stratt's Project , an international "long-shot" mission to send a crewed spacecraft to Tau Ceti, the only star in Earth's not occluded by astrophage. The flight to Tau Ceti would be a , as the ship could only carry enough fuel for a one-way trip; any findings would have to return to Earth in smaller . In the present, Grace encounters an alien spacecraft that docks with the Hail Mary. It is made of a solid form of , which Grace dubs "xenonite". The ship's occupant is a rock-like, five-legged alien from Erid, a planet in the system. Grace names the alien "Rocky", deduces that Eridians "see" via , and creates a system to interpret Rocky's language into English. Rocky is a and the sole survivor of the Eridians' mission to save their own star from astrophage infection. Grace and Rocky agree to work together, and become close friends. As neither can survive in the other's atmosphere, Rocky works aboard the Hail Mary inside a pressurized ball of xenonite. Grace and Rocky study the Petrova line of the planet , which Grace names "Adrian", and discovers that the line hosts an entire . Rocky theorizes that microbial organisms in Adrian's atmosphere are consuming the astrophage, keeping the population in check. Learning that Grace cannot return home, Rocky offers to share some of his own ship's astrophage fuel with the Hail Mary. Grace remembers that an astrophage explosion killed the original crew's science officers. With no time to train replacements, Stratt asked Grace to join the mission. During a risky maneuver to gather the astrophage predator from Adrian's atmosphere, a fuel leak causes the Hail Mary to , rendering Grace unconscious. Rocky breaks out of his ball to save Grace but is severely injured. While Rocky recovers, Grace studies the captured astrophage predator, dubbing it "taumoeba" and it to survive the in Venus's atmosphere. Rocky revives, and the two celebrate their success; Grace recalls that he fearfully refused to join the Hail Mary crew, but Stratt had him anyway, believing he was the only one capable of completing the mission. Rocky and Grace say their goodbyes and begin their journeys back home. Shortly thereafter, Grace discovers that the taumoeba has evolved to escape its xenonite breeding tanks and is starting to consume Hail Mary's astrophage fuel. Grace stops the taumoeba leak, but realizes that Rocky's ship, being entirely made of xenonite, will have no way to contain the taumoeba; it will eat all of Rocky's fuel, stranding him and dooming Erid. Grace decides to use his remaining fuel to rescue Rocky and the Eridians rather than return home, and sends his video logs and taumoeba samples to Earth via the probes. Stratt and her team receive the probes and use the taumoeba to cure the Sun's astrophage infection. Meanwhile, on Erid, Grace lives in an Earth-like the Eridians have constructed for him. Rocky informs him that Eridian scientists can prepare the Hail Mary for the return voyage to Earth. Grace ponders the news before beginning another day of teaching science to eager Eridian children. Cast , who portrays Dr. Ryland Grace, also served as a producer on the film as Ryland Grace, a middle school science teacher and former on a mission to save humanity as Eva Stratt, the head of the international task force behind Project Hail Mary as Rocky, an alien Grace encounters on his journey. The character was effected through a puppet controlled by a team of five led by Ortiz, dubbed the "Rockyteers", with Ortiz also providing the artificial voice assigned to him Ortiz also has an uncredited role as a television presenter as Carl, a member of security personnel as Yao Li-Jie, the Chinese commander of the Hail Mary spacecraft as Olesya Ilyukhina, a Russian engineer on board the Hail Mary as the voice of Mary, the Hail Mary's onboard computer as Martin Dubois, the original scientist of the Hail Mary as Annie Shapiro, a backup scientist of the Hail Mary as Dr. Browne as Dr. Li as Chimamanda Additionally, (the film's ), Damien de Froberville (co-president of ), (the narrator), and provided the rejected alternative voices for Rocky. Production Development In March 2020, was nearing a deal to acquire adaptation rights to the then-upcoming novel (2021), with set to star in and produce the film. The rights for the novel were acquired for $3 million. In May 2020, were hired to direct and produce the film. Due to Lord and Miller being unable to work on the screenplay because of commitments to (2023), (who previously adapted Weir's 2011 novel into a ) was hired the following month to write the screenplay. In April 2024, , which acquired Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 2022, revealed a possible 2026 release window for the film. In May 2024, joined the cast, with hired as . joined the cast the following month. Filming The film's crew, actors and , writer , author/producer , and directors visiting 's on February 25, 2026 began on June 3, 2024, in the United Kingdom and on October 26, 2024. Filming took place at . Location filming occurred at , the in , the in , and and in . The film was "filmed for " by using large-sensor cameras, which provide (20 ) of resolution, with an of 2.1:1, utilizing the whole sensor with rotated by 90 degrees to achieve the IMAX standard aspect ratio. For regular presentations, the common 2:1 format () was derived by the top and bottom of the IMAX image. The film switches between taller and wider aspect ratios. When a scene takes place in the present, a taller aspect ratio is used—1.43:1 for or , for or , and for non-IMAX presentations. For scenes in the past, an aspect ratio of , a standard ratio for anamorphic process cinematography, was achieved with the regular use of anamorphic lenses. In an interview with , Miller mentioned that no was used in the film, with the entire set being shot practically. Fraser had previously collaborated with supervisor on the ; their disdain for green and blue screens, which impacts lighting and visuals through , led them to use and grey screens on the film instead. Miller had previously stated that VFX was used to depict the spaceship from the outside, while shots of Gosling in space were shot against a black or varying color backdrop. provided support through both the input of scientific experts and astronaut visiting Gosling during filming to share insights on . Post-production The visual effects were developed by (which also collaborated on the film adaptation of The Martian), (ILM), , and Wylie Co. VFX, with Mags Sarnowska serving as visual effects supervisor alongside Lambert. While puppeteer Ortiz voiced Rocky during filming with Gosling, it was initially thought that a more high-profile actor would replace him. However, Lord and Miller felt that Ortiz's performance could not be improved upon during screenings of the film. Lord praised the collaboration between practical and visual effects in the creation of the character Rocky's performance: Rocky was built and designed by the legendary and his creature shop and is performed by puppeteering legend James Ortiz and his team, who were on set with Ryan in every scene. Rocky's performance is a beautiful collaboration between James and the other Rockyteers on set and the wonderful animators at Framestore led by the funny soulful Arslan Elver. Miller noted that by the end of the film shots with Rocky were about 50% VFX animation and 50% puppetry. The digitally shot and produced film was transferred to and then to achieve the "warmth" of . The initial of the film was 3 hours and 45 minutes long, and was cut down to the final length due to feedback from the screenings. Joel Negron served as film editor. Music Main article: It was announced at that would score the film. Pemberton worked with Lord and Miller on (2018) and its , which they produced. This is the first film directed by Lord and Miller to not be scored by . The score, consisting of 38 tracks, was released digitally on March 20, 2026. The film also includes fourteen other songs, including "" by , "" by , "" by and "" sung by . Marketing The film's title on the marquee of in in March 2026 The first trailer was released on June 30, 2025. It was the most-viewed trailer for any original film in the first week of its release, accumulating 400 million views globally. released a model of the Hail Mary spacecraft on March 1, 2026, as part of the series. Release Theatrical Project Hail Mary was released on March 20, 2026, in 4,007 theaters by in the United States and Canada, and in all other territories. It was also released in select theaters, with a 1.43:1 . Home media The film was released on platforms on May 12, 2026. It began streaming on the and on June 18 and July 3, respectively. It was also released on , , and on August 11, 2026, by Alliance Entertainment. Following the standard disc release will be an Amazon exclusive three-disc gift set, scheduled for October 13. It will include a third disc with the film in its full 1.43:1 IMAX ratio, plus additional bonus material and a collectible booklet.[] Reception Box office As of September 11, 2026 Project Hail Mary has grossed $344.1 million in the United States and Canada, and $341.2 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $685.3 million. In the United States and Canada, Project Hail Mary was released on March 20, 2026, and was projected to gross $63–65 million in North America from 4,007 theaters in its opening weekend. Initially, publications estimated that the film would gross $45–55 million. After grossing $31 million on opening day, including $12 million in previews, the film debuted to $80.6 million in the United States and Canada, and $60.4 million overseas for a worldwide total of $141 million, becoming Amazon MGM Studios' biggest debut to date. In its second weekend, the film made $54.1 million (a drop of 32.8%), remaining in first. It was surpassed by in its third weekend, grossing $31.7 million. In Japan, the film became the highest-grossing foreign film of 2026 in terms of box office revenue attendance on its first day of release. Critical response The performances of , , and were praised by critics On the website , 95% of 430 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.2/10. The website's consensus reads: "A visually dazzling space odyssey that's carried along effortlessly by the gravitational pull of Ryan Gosling at his most winning, Project Hail Mary is a near-miraculous fusion of smarts and heart." , which uses a , assigned the film a score of 77 out of 100, based on 60 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. Audiences polled by gave the film an "A" on an A+ to F scale. The film received an average rating of 8 out of 10 from . G. Allen Johnson of the deemed it "a masterpiece of a family popcorn movie, with eye-popping hand-crafted production design and outstanding creature design and puppetry work." Randy Myers of gave the film a 3.5/4 rating, writing: "While you can't help but marvel at the visuals and applaud the commitment of Gosling's endearing performance, what also makes Project Hail Mary so gosh darn lovable is that it imbues us with child-like wonder from scenes that pay homage to such classics as , and, yes, ." of Ryland Grace with a fan-created Rocky prop at 2026 of concluded in his review: "Does it have many original ideas of its own? Perhaps not. But its greatest hits mixtape of other people's has been compiled with such flair – as well as a sound comprehension of why they worked so well the first time – that it's hard not to be swept up regardless." Barry Hertz of shared a similar opinion, writing: "At almost every turn, Project Hail Mary attempts to convince you that it is groundbreaking, innovative filmmaking. But in actuality, the movie lands as a grand act of cinematic recycling – the fusing together of familiar, comforting bits and pieces into something determined to please crowds and warm hearts." of the wrote: "While 's unsentimental inspired the iPad, Lord and Miller want to inspire a better version of us." Brian Truitt of gave the film a four out of four rating, writing that "Project Hail Mary is one of those old-school popcorn movies with big ideas, the kind of film that and would have made back in the day and kids of all ages would have obsessed over and bought the toys." Ryan Cooper of wrote that the film portrayed a "shockingly realistic view of heroism" and was "one of the rare films that is quite a bit better than the book". of wrote: "Gosling is an effortlessly charming screen player, and he keeps it watchable, though the film itself has moments of dullness and a sort of puppyish silliness [...] Perhaps refreshingly, the film doesn't aim for the stunned awe and rapture of, say, 's or even ' underrated , but it does have the classic sci-fi spacecraft tropes: the huge, mysterious architecture with its vertiginous tunnels in which legacy pop music is played to soothe the inhabitants." anthropology professor praised Grace's intellectual humility in the film. Nicholas Barber of the declared it one of the best films of 2026, writing: Project Hail Mary is an unusual science-fiction blockbuster in that it's mostly about people using their brains to solve problems [...] Does that approach sound a bit dry and academic? If so, rest assured that Project Hail Mary is touching and inspiring – and surprisingly fun [...] it's directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who take a complicated, potentially bleak narrative and make it as fast-paced and cheerful as their animated hit . Meanwhile, Ryan Gosling brings all of his goofball charm to the role of an amnesiac biologist who is trying to save the world. Conversely, of called it "not a very good movie", adding that "it's baggy and incredibly derivative of movies you've seen before [...] More crucially, everything to do with the onboard alien is far too cute and formulaic". /episode/index/show/tindog/id/42951613

TDP 1498: Please send me your questions for show 1500 09/16/2026

TDP 1491: Doctor Who: The Seventh Doctor Adventures: Fixers - fixed 09/04/2026

TDP 1497: A day out to NASA 08/31/2026

TDP 1492: #DoctorWho Circuit Breaker Deadliest Weapon 08/28/2026

TDP 1495: #DoctorWho The Thirteenth Doctor Adventures The Hallamshire Incident 08/24/2026

TDP 1491: Doctor Who: The Seventh Doctor Adventures: Fixers 08/21/2026

TDP 1494: Good Omens Three REVIEW 08/17/2026

TDP 1490: Sky: Into the Chaos (2) 08/14/2026

TDP 1496: FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION 26 Jeeves and Wooster 08/10/2026

TDP 1489: Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor Adventures: Thirteen O'Clock 08/07/2026

TDP 1493: #DoctorWho Rutans vs Sontarans 4: Peace at Last 08/03/2026

TDP 1488: #DoctorWho Zygon Century: Transformation REVIEW 07/31/2026

TDP 1487: DoctorWho Doctor Who: Rutans vs Sontarans: Grave Moon (3) Review 07/24/2026

TDP 1487: DoctorWho Doctor Who: Rutans vs Sontarans: Grave Moon (3) Review The Doctor and Peri track a criminal imposter to a moon sanctuary of healing ponds, only to discover the lone Rutan the Doctor has previously met trapped in a self-made web of lies. Experiments to rejoin the Host have forged a bond with grieving pond farmer, Ooland. As their mutual obsession tightens, so Ooland's ponds grow more polluted and their farm cut off from what is really happening on the moon: a full-on Rutan invasion. As the Doctor and Peri strive to free Melmoth and Ooland from each other, another Doctor is at work close by - with far-reaching plans of his own for the lone Rutan. This release will have a limited CD pressing of 1500 copies. Writer Lizzie Hopley said: "I chose to use the Sixth Doctor and Peri in this story, because I've always adored the energy of those two. Nicola and Colin have always had such an amazing humour, and a unique ability to slide from this humour into serious change. I thought it would be great to pitch that energy against a messed-up love story. "It's basically impossible for a Rutan to fall in love, so I thought, well, let's do that then. I wanted us to care about this lone Rutan, and I wanted to create a tragedy, because if you invest in characters and you believe they care for one another, even for selfish reasons, then you can create terrible tragedy, and I wanted to have our Eighth and Sixth Doctors and Peri really experience that." Lead actor Colin Baker added: "I was rather captivated by the Romeo and Juliet story, the two warring factions who have not exactly a romantic relationship, but a relationship of affection, love, understanding. And I think that's rather sweet and rather tragic, and it really appealed to me." (The Doctor) (Peri Brown) (The Doctor) (Yarrin / Sontarans) (Ooland) (Inspector) (Melmoth) Cover Art by Written by Director Producer Executive Producer , Sound Design by Music by Product Format: 1-disc CD (jewel case) Number of Discs: 1 CD Duration: 73 minutes Download Duration: 73 minutes Physical Retail ISBN: 978-1-80240-865-2 Digital Retail ISBN: 978-1-80240-866-9 Production Code: BFPDWSPRUTVSON0103 Recorded On: 30 October 2025 /episode/index/show/tindog/id/41988980

TDP 1486: Planet Krynoid: Survivors (Planet Krynoid 2) REVIEW 07/14/2026

TDP 1486: Planet Krynoid: Survivors (Planet Krynoid 2) REVIEW Written By: , , Starring: , , Duration: 221 minutes Colony Sunlight has been destroyed, ravaged by a ruthlessly aggressive galactic weed known only as the Krynoid. As the planet turns cold, sinister forces descend on the surface, and time runs out for the scattered survivors. Could salvation lie a hundred years ago - with a Doctor, a MedTech and a big blue box? 2.1 The Hunt by Jonathan S Powell Blackmailed by the unscrupulous Raynor Cross, Sunlight survivors Tiro Hart and Letty Hodan must battle the icy remains of the life they left behind. But they are not the only ones with their sights set on a pod. 2.2 The Harrow by Georgia Cook Nobody knows what really happened to Station One, Verdana’s first, doomed colony. But after materialising in the path of a Krynoid, the Doctor and Liv are about to find out. 2.3 The Harvest by Jonathan Morris When a band of survivors reach a mysterious settlement, they are promised food, shelter and harmony. But deliverance in Greenhaven comes at a price - and Father Nature is ready to collect. This release will have a limited CD pressing of 1000 copies. On making her Big Finish debut, Tamsin Greig said: "This is my first audio Doctor Who - it's amazing how it's taken so long for Big Finish to ask me! Amesus Vail is on this distant planet and is pretty stressed with the isolation, the abandonment and having to keep this show on the road. If you go green on this planet, you're dying - it's a lovely inversion!" Producer, director and writer Jonathan S Powell said: "I'm thrilled to be back on the Krynoid homeworld for three more terrifying tales set soon after the events of . Our scattered survivors are running on borrowed time in the present, while the Doctor and Liv battle another Krynoid incursion a hundred years before. "I'm especially delighted with the performers we've brought into the series this time around, not least the enormously talented Tamsin Greig in her Big Finish debut as Overseer Amesus Vail. Alongside Tamsin and our returning survivors, listeners will be treated to star turns from Karl Theobald and Simon Kane as a pair of deluded monster hunters, Juliet Aubrey as a ruthless executive, and Angus Wright as a fanatical plant-loving priest, who harks back more than a little to Harrison Chase. That's not to mention Paul McGann and Nicola Walker as the always dependable Eighth Doctor and Liv. "There's so much to enjoy here, and more story yet to be told - if anyone survives, that is." Writer Georgia Cook said: "I love the myriad of different ways that the Krynoid can be a monster. There's the body horror aspect, the transformative aspect, and it can just eat you! And then, it can also control you through your mind. So it’s kind of a triple threat! With my story, I remember the producer Jon saying, minimal body horror, we're focusing on the horror of the plants as monsters in their own right. "Writing for the Eighth Doctor and Liv was great fun, because I’ve not written for those two before. Liv is such a steely personality and really can be in charge. Even with the Doctor gone, she can hold her own." Nicola Walker, who reprises her role as companion Liv Chenka from the Eighth Doctor Adventures series, said: "I like these stories when it gets very odd, with plants growing and killing us! But, you can draw real-world parallels too - it's otherworldly and imaginary, except there's something in there that has the bite of truth." (The Doctor ) (Overseer Amesus Vail) (Liv Chenka) (Nurse Clarke Boyd) (Raynor Cross) (Phillip) (Katarina) (Bryn Forrester) (Fletcher Hart) (Wendalos) (Saber) (Dr Felicia Chester) (James Hurcotte) (Tiro Hart) (Console) (Letty Hodan) (Captain Kaleb / Darius) (Mason Latch) (Maggie Hart) (Pater Dowlish) (Eleena Fitzgerald) /episode/index/show/tindog/id/41988600

TDP 1485: 5.3 Dark Gallifrey The Meddling Monks Part 3 07/07/2026

TDP 1484: Tip Toe Review 07/03/2026

TDP 1484: Tip Toe Review Tip Toe is a 2026 British television miniseries for written by and starring and . Premise Tip Toe is a miniseries starring two next-door neighbours in Manchester—Leo Struthers, the owner of the bar Spit and Polish, and his long-standing neighbour Clive Goss, an electrician. The show explores the effects of on social media, leading the neighbours to gradually become deadly enemies. As events unfurl involving Clive's son George and online conspiracy theories, the series reaches a deadly conclusion. Cast as Leo Struthers. Born in Scotland, Leo runs a bar called Spit and Polish on Manchester's . He became in the 1990s. as Clive Goss, Leo's next-door neighbour and an electrician. Clive is anxious and worried about the state of the world, his finances, and his family. as Stephanie Dale as Diane as Marie Goss, Clive's wife. Jackson Connor as George Goss, Clive and Marie's 16-year-old son. Joseph Evans as Saul Goss, Clive and Marie's 25-year-old son. as Zee Malone Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo as Judy Khumalo as Mikey Driscoll Shakeel Kimotho as Hanna Ayomide as Melba as Curtis Baxter Jolyon Benson as Frederic Hopper Production The series was commissioned by in February 2025. It is written by and produced by for Quay Street Productions with Phil Collinson as a series producer, and as series director. Davies, Hoar and are executive producers. Cumming also leads the cast with . The wider cast includes , and , amongst others. Filming began in Manchester in September 2025. Episodes 31 May 2026 TBD In a flashforward, a crowd of people gather to see Leo hanged from a streetlamp. Ten days earlier, Leo has just had a one-night stand with a man. The man steals his laptop, and Leo runs outside to chase him, but fails and also locks himself out of his house dressed only in pants and a t-shirt. This forces him to knock on his neighbour Clive's door, where he asks if he can call his best friend, Stephanie, who has a spare key. Clive agrees, but later suggests that Leo give him a key for emergencies, and Leo hires him to help at his bar. One of Leo's employees, Zee, has been sleeping at the bar since her home has become unsafe since coming out as , so Leo and the other employees help her pack and move. Leo and his friend Melba discuss the situation, with Melba frustrated at Leo's denial of the danger their community is in, in the present day. Leo discovers George, Clive's teenage son, on his dating app. 2 "Episode 2" Peter Hoar Russell T Davies 1 June 2026 TBD In a flashforward, George watches silently from his room as Leo is hanged outside. Clive shows increasing discomfort around Leo and his employees, two of whom are transgender. Leo also hires Clive's eldest son, Saul, to work at the bar. Leo and George communicate through the app, with Leo giving George advice and hiding his sexuality from Clive. 3 "Episode 3" Peter Hoar Russell T Davies 7 June 2026 TBD In a flashforward, police arrest Clive for Leo's murder. In the present, Clive has a struggling marriage with Marie and a strained relationship with his sons, especially George. Clive and Leo return home to find George hiding in Leo's flat, with Clive assaulting Leo and accusing him of luring his son over. Leo threatens to call the police, which Stephanie encourages, but Leo ultimately chooses not to out of fear for his safety. George runs away, but Saul finds him and convinces him to return home. Marie is worried George will be charged with burglary, whilst Clive accuses Leo of being a predator. Clive breaks into Leo's house and finds Saul's account as well as the message exchanges between him and George, which he documents. Leo returns home to find him there. 4 "Episode 4" Peter Hoar Russell T Davies 8 June 2026 TBD In a flashforward, Stephanie and Zee attempt to protect Leo's house from an angry mob. Two days earlier, Leo calls the police on Clive, but tells them it was a mistake after Clive threatens to frame him for paedophilia. Clive and George attempt to have a conversation, which devolves into an argument as Clive accuses Leo of infecting George, and ends up leaving in a rage. Stephanie begs Leo to move, but he believes it will all calm down soon. Saul becomes worried about his dad after realising he has found his account. Zee contacts George and he helps her choose her new name, and the pair go to the Northern Quarter together. Clive goes to Leo's bar and ends up helping them when a man assaults a customer. Leo admits that he has been HIV positive for thirty-two years, but Clive dismisses HIV as fake. In a conversation with Stephanie, Leo expresses concern about Clive. 5 "Episode 5" Peter Hoar Russell T Davies 9 June 2026 TBD Leo and Stephanie argue about the best way to help George, with Stephanie believing Marie would be supportive. Saul sees the photo of George wearing makeup and partying with Zee and her friends, he expresses support but warns George about his friends possible reactions. The Gosses host a football livestream during which George is violently hazed. Zee is unable to delete the photo, and goes to George's house, but he rejects her help. Clive sees Zee, and Leo agrees to help her by talking to Clive. The confrontation soon devolves into violence, with the Gosses' friends exposing both Saul's account and George's photos to their parents. Upon seeing Zee with George, Clive attacks Leo and accuses him of taking advantage of George. George refutes this, stating Leo has HIV. After the video of Clive helping Leo during the fight is exposed, Clive whips the crowd into a frenzy and take Leo outside to hang him. Saul desperately attempts to prevent them, but is unsuccessful. Ultimately, Clive and his accomplices are arrested for murder, George becomes a drug-addict, Saul gets married and lives happily, Zee chooses the name Sarah and becomes a teacher, and the bar is turned into a pizzeria. Two years prior, Stephanie and Leo discuss his divorce, and the effects that coming out has had on their lives. Leo expresses a belief that something big will happen. Broadcast The first episode was broadcast on on 31 May 2026. Episodes 1 and 2 were released on the streaming on demand service also called on that day. Episode 2 aired on 1 June, and episodes 3, 4, and 5 aired across consecutive days on 7–9 June. The three episodes were released on streaming on 7 June. In Australia it is available on . In Israel it is available on . In New Zealand it is available on Reception The series received a positive reception from both the public and reviewers, garnering four stars or above from publications such as , , and the . There was some criticism of its handling of , saying that it downplayed its impact on . /episode/index/show/tindog/id/41695235

TDP 1481: 15B. Doctor Who: The Fourth Doctor Adventures Series 15: Lethal Progress REVIEW 06/30/2026

TDP 1482: 1.2. #DoctorWho: Rutans vs Sontarans: Rendition 06/26/2026

TDP 1483: #DoctorWho The Thirteenth Doctor Adventures Aegis 06/23/2026

TDP 1480: #Torchwood Release 100 : Fare Well (REVIEW) 06/19/2026

TDP 1478: For Your Consideration 24 Highlander 06/15/2026

TDP 1479: #DoctorWho: The War Doctor Rises 5 : Fear of the Light 06/12/2026

TDP 1477: #DOCTORWHO Big Finish’s New Writer Competition 2026 06/07/2026

TDP 1477: #DOCTORWHO Big Finish’s New Writer Competition 2026 from bigfinish website The Big Finish Memorial Short Trip Opportunity honours the memory of our much-loved colleague and friend, a stalwart of the Big Finish production office who passed away suddenly on 8 May 2014. We're searching for an emerging talent to write a that will be released as an audiobook at Christmas – and this year, the topic is "The First Doctor". The competition runs for five weeks, starting today and closing in the middle of June. Commemorating Paul Big Finish's Executive Producer said: "It's always a special time to remember our dear friend Paul. It's particularly exciting for me this year as we're focussing on the First Doctor, who has been something of a passion of mine recently. Can't wait to read the story submissions for this!" The First Doctor Range producer said: "In the ten years since we launched this memorial competition, we've never had a winning story featuring the First Doctor. This is the year we're changing that. "We want to read your proposal for a standalone with a brand new idea that showcases him in a short story for a single reader that we'll publish at the end of this year. "Your story will be inspired by the character of the First Doctor as we saw him on TV. It's an era when each story naturally offered a new perspective on the continuing series – so we want your proposal to demonstrate that kind of originality and inventiveness. What fresh characters, adversaries, locations, concepts and perspectives can you devise for a compelling short story?" In addition to naming a winner, Big Finish will also identify a shortlist of commendations. "In recent competitions, the standard of entries has been wonderful," said . "Although we will have only one winner, we thought it appropriate this year to name and commend other strong contenders." Before you enter the competition, please carefully read the 2026 guidelines below and the accompanying on the Big Finish website. They contain important information that explains eligibility, theme, word count, deadline, and how to submit your story idea. We look forward to reading your entries. Good luck! Helpful advice from previous winners You can get a feeling for what a successful competition entry looks like by checking out the previous ten winners. Recordings of each are available on the Big Finish website as free downloads, along with the final script and the original winning submissions from each year. The Paul Spragg Memorial Short Trip Opportunity 2026 Guidelines The competition is to identify talent, enthusiasm, and ability to write to a specification – so everything you need to know is in these guidelines and the accompanying terms and conditions. Please note that no correspondence will be entered into, either during the entry period or afterwards, and the judges' decision is final. Entry into this competition requires that you have read and accepted . By entering, you indicate that you have done so. SUBMISSION PROCESS: All entries must be submitted electronically to , either as a Word-compatible document or a PDF document, formatted as per these guidelines, and received by Big Finish before 23:59 (UK time) on Thursday 11 June 2026. YOUR EMAIL MESSAGE: Include the entrant’s full name and a contact email address only in the body of your email. Include your title (e.g. Attack of the Glurgs) in the Subject line. Don’t include any details of your background or previous writing experience – your submission should speak for itself. Attach your anonymised entry document to the email. THE ATTACHED DOCUMENT: The document must consist of two parts in a single document: a one page synopsis that is no more than 500 words, and a one-page excerpt from your story of a further 500 words maximum (prose, not drama script). This is to give an indication of the writer’s ability and intentions for a 4,500-word story, which can change if the full story is commissioned. These word count limits for the synopsis and extract are a strict requirement this year. Name the attached file only with your story title (e.g. Attack of the Glurgs.PDF) Do NOT include personally identifying details in your document (for example, name or email address), or the entry will be disqualified. THEME AND CONTENT: Submissions should propose a short story featuring the First Doctor and set at any time in the universe of the television series between An Unearthly Child and The Tenth Planet. THINGS YOU MAY DO: You may use any of the First Doctor's regular companions (or none of them) as they appeared in TV episodes: Susan, Ian, Barbara, Vicki, Steven, Katarina, Dodo, Ben and Polly. Your story should feature the character of the First Doctor as we saw him on TV. We want your proposal to wow us with its originality and inventiveness. So what fresh characters, adversaries, locations, concepts and perspectives can you devise for a compelling short story? THINGS TO AVOID: Do NOT create a new companion for the Doctor, nor use other companions from TV or elsewhere. Do NOT include other Doctors or Time Lords. Do NOT include any established creatures (e.g. Voord, Sensorites, etc.) or established characters (e.g. Mavic Chen, the Toymaker, etc.) or established organisations (e.g. Coal Hill School, Space Security Service, etc.). Do NOT base any fictional characters on any real living person; you may include real historical people as characters, so long as they lived and died before the year 1900. EXAMPLES: If you've never heard a  story before, we recommend that you listen to some examples, to get a sense of how they sound and what can be done in the format. Each of the previous winning stories is available as a free download. When you add them to your Big Finish account, you also unlock bonus content that includes downloads of the original winning submissions and the final studio scripts. 2016:  by  (Seventh Doctor) 2017:  by  (Third Doctor) 2018:  by  (Second Doctor) 2019: by (Twelfth Doctor) 2020: by (Tenth Doctor) 2021: by (Ninth Doctor) 2022: by (Eleventh Doctor) 2023: by (Sixth Doctor) 2024: by (Twelfth Doctor) 2025: by (Thirteenth Doctor) /episode/index/show/tindog/id/41561815

Doctor Who: Tin Dog Podcast

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