“Doctor Who” regnerates for a whole new first season on Disney+. Russell T Davies has a plan to welcome new audiences, but do his showrunner machinations balance out with the narrative elements of this episode? Chip and Jason consider what RTD’s up to, why he’s doing it, what works, and what doesn’t.

Chip Sudderth and Jason Snell

We begin our walk through the 2024 nominees for Best Novel from the Hugo and Nebula Awards. First up: “Starter Villain” by John Scalzi, “Translation State” by Ann Leckie, and “Witch King” by Martha Wells.

2024 Awards Book Club part 1

Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Aleen Simms, Scott McNulty and Heather Berberet

It’s our Director’s birthday! She is using her power to make the Agency do a mission about Aziraphale and Crowley in Good Omens. If you like seeing Angels and Demon romance each other in a gentle comedy about the end of the universe, this is the episode for you.

Good Omens (TV Series)

Annette Wierstra with Heather Berberet and Stacy Watnick

Discovery rolls on toward its end, with an episode that should involve a lot of plot pivoting, but ends up being an old-fashioned talky diplomatic dilemma crossed with scientific puzzle solving. Also, so many Breen! And Rayner learns that when you’re in trouble, you have to take the walk of shame instead of beaming home.

Scott McNulty and Jason Snell

Erika and Steven start a new-to-Erika story that makes up in atmosphere what it lacks in special effects.

WWW (1)

Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky

It’s the eighth edition Mind Meld! And if you thought there couldn’t possibly be another set of categories our group of contestants could (mostly) agree on, then you’d be wrong! And being wrong in this game is not the right thing to do.

Mind Meld 8

Tony Sindelar and Kathy Campbell with Jean MacDonald, Shelly Brisbin, Erika Ensign, Jason Snell and Lex Friedman

The Dog & Pony crew is back! Bruldish, Crucible, Elavor, Imra, Lina, and the whole menagerie kick off the season with a drawbridge that’s just a bridge, a really charming rat, some sweeping in the dark, and a real mist opportunity.

Dog & Pony Show VII, Part 1

Tony Sindelar with Aleen Simms, Dan Moren, Erika Ensign, Jane Ritt and Mikah Sargent

Huzzah! Dan is back and we’re back on the X-Men beat. This week we cover an eclectic set of mid-season episodes. A fun Tron-Romp, some trippy malevolent force thing, and a simply stunning and terrific episode on Genosha.

Dan Moren, John Moltz and Guy English

The Bad Batch comes to an end, and your Star Wars pals Dan, Kat, and Tony are here to see it off in style. We discuss zillo beasts roaming wild, the keys to evil base real estate, and Wrecker’s Fish Shack, as we bid adieu to our clone family…for now?

s3e15.jpg" width="600" alt="The Bad Batch, Season 3, Episode 15">

Lucasfilm

Dan Moren, Tony Sindelar and K Benesh

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Put on your mouse ears and step into the TARDIS! We’re discussing the return (rebirth? regeneration?) of “Doctor Who” in 2024, this time on Disney+ (and the BBC). It’s a new era with an old showrunner. How did the 2023 specials hit us, where should curious viewers start watching, and what are our hopes for the coming season?

"Doctor Who" anticipation

Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Steven Schapansky, Annette Wierstra and Kelly Guimont