Shows
Strangers in SpaceBlue Box 185: Resurrection Who 5. The FiremakerThere's a new Doctor aboard the TARDIS as we enter the fifth season of our imaginary Doctor Who remake - and Mark is here to explain the choice and talk through the stories we've selected for him to experience. Presented by J.R. Southall, with Mark Donaldson
2025-09-011h 04
Strangers in SpaceBlue Box 183: Resurrection Who 4. The ReturnIt's the fourth "season" of our imaginary Doctor Who reboot, and a surprise is about to be sprung Presented by J.R. Southall, with Mark Donaldson
2025-08-181h 10
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Extra: Jurassic World: RebirthCould Jurassic World: Rebirth live up to its name and breathe new life into the dinosaga? Presented by J.R. Southall, with Mark Donaldson
2025-08-0423 min
Strangers in SpaceWho Review 39: The Interstellar Song ContestWe turn our microphones to the subject of the Eurovision Song Contest pastiche in our latest review Presented by J.R. Southall, with Matt Barber, Mark Donaldson, Luke Molloy and Jon Arnold
2025-05-171h 10
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Lite 75: The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse (2005)Just as Doctor Who was returning to our screens twenty years ago, The League of Gentlemen were signing off - with what would turn out to be a divisive (albeit ultimately temporary) full-stop on their canon, a film that turns the original concept on its head; our thoughts are somewhat mixed Presented by Dylan Rees, with Mark Donaldson, Steve Hatcher and J.R. Southall
2025-04-1731 min
On the Time LashDoctor Who Confidential: Live CommentarySend us a text To celebrate 20 years since the broadcast of Rose, Ben and Mark hosted a live YouTube stream featuring commentaries on A New Dimension, Rose and Doctor Who Confidential. In this podcast, Ben and Mark are joined by Lee McMenemy from The Polis Box and JR Southall from Strangers in Space for the audio commentary on the very first episode of Doctor Who Confidential; "Bringing Back the Doctor"Support the showFollow us on TwitterLike us on FacebookBuy us a pint
2025-03-2930 min
On the Time LashRose: Live CommentarySend us a textTo celebrate 20 years since the broadcast of Rose, Ben and Mark hosted a live YouTube stream featuring commentaries on A New Dimension, Rose and Doctor Who Confidential. In this podcast, Ben and Mark are joined by Lee McMenemy from The Polis Box and JR Southall from Strangers in Space for the audio commentary for "Rose", written by Russell T Davies and directed by Keith Boak.Support the showFollow us on TwitterLike us on FacebookBuy us a pint
2025-03-2958 min
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Duets 28: Alien Fan ProjectsOur slow crawl through the Alien universe takes in a couple of fan projects, last year's Australian short No Man's Land, and the recently streaming documentary Alien On Stage about - you guessed it - a stage production of the first Alien movie in Dorset (and Leicester Square) Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold, Matt Barber and Mark Donaldson No Man's Land is available for free on YouTube
2025-03-2839 min
Strangers in SpaceTV Club 81: The League of Gentlemen (Part Two)Our return visit to Royston Vasey continues with Series Three and the anniversary specials, plus a chat about The League of Gentlemen live Presented by Dylan Rees, with Mark Donaldson, Steve Hatcher, Harry Palmer and J.R. Southall Warning: includes one use of a very naughty word, from Mark Pottyface Donaldson
2025-03-2153 min
Strangers in SpaceTV Club 80: The League of Gentlemen (Part One)In the first instalment of a three-part retrospective of The League of Gentlemen, we cast our microphones over the radio show, the first two TV series and the Christmas Special Presented by Dylan Rees, with Mark Donaldson, Steve Hatcher, Harry Palmer and J.R. Southall
2025-03-101h 05
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Extra: Oscars 2025 & I'm Still HereOur reaction to the 97th Academy Awards, the winners and the ceremony - and a review of Best International Feature winner I'm Still Here Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold and Mark Donaldson
2025-03-0452 min
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Extra: YouGov's Top 25 History and Biography FilmsIn a case of Christmas leftovers, here's something we recorded for the festive season but didn't get around to publishing thanks to a surfeit a last minute reviews: it's another surprise discussion about yet another randomly selected movie poll from the thoroughly random YouGov website. Presented by J.R. Southall, with Matt Barber and Mark Donaldson
2025-01-1036 min
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Duet 22: Blitz and HereticA round-up of two recent movies which might have half an eye on awards season, but which might have suffered because of their split personalities The conversation about Heretic begins at 25:30 Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold, Mark Donaldson and Matt Barber
2024-12-1859 min
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Extra: ConclaveIn what could be an early contender for next year's Best Picture awards, Ralf Fiennes lays intrigue on top of irresolution as he takes charge of the conclave of old men tasked with choosing a new Pope Presented by J.R. Southall, with Matt Barber and Mark Donaldson
2024-12-0633 min
Strangers in SpaceBlue Box 161: Dandies and Clowns - the Master (Part Two)It wasn't long after the untimely death of Roger Delgado, that his most enduring creation was being resurrected - and soon after that he had a new full-time replacement. But do these subsequent iterations of the Master fulfil the brief that was laid down back in 1971? Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold, Mark Donaldson and Iain Martin
2024-10-2557 min
On the Time LashIn the Timelash #8 - JR SouthallSend us a text"Get some f***ing perspective!"Mark invites Strangers in Space's benevolent overseer, J.R. Southall to submit his five choices for the Tinsel Tunnel. Their discussion takes in the cultural milieu that led to the decline of Doctor Who, showrunner sectarianism, green goo, how we watch The One Show, and whether the Doctor should always have a British accent.Also: Which book of J.R's is too hot for publishing? Why wasn't Philip Hinchcliffe doing Parkinson? And does Doctor Who really live on Saturdays? And what is the Love...
2024-10-141h 30
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Duet 19: Withnail and BruceIt's the 750th episode on the Strangers podcast feed, and we've gone and reviewed Bruce Robinson's two 1980s films (Withnail and I and How to Get Ahead in Advertising) by mistake Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold, Simon Brett and Mark Donaldson
2024-09-231h 07
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Lite 62: The Cabin in the Woods (2011)What do you get if you strip the demonic possession out of Evil Dead, and replace it with sci-fi instead? Our thoughts on the 2011 horror comedy The Cabin in the Woods Presented by J.R. Southall, with Mark Donaldson and Dylan Rees
2024-08-1230 min
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Extra: Deadpool & WolverineIt's Marvel's biggest hit for for some while, but what would our team make of the team-up between two ex-Fox characters under the Disney Marvel banner? Presented by Dylan Rees, with Simon Brett and Mark Donaldson
2024-08-0542 min
Strangers in SpaceBlue Box 153: Season One RetrospectiveFour of the team who had mostly missed the individual episode reviews, come together to discuss the 2024 series of Doctor Who Presented by J.R. Southall, with Simon Brett, Mark Donaldson, Dylan Rees and Ben Verth
2024-06-281h 20
Strangers in SpaceBlue Box 152: The Second DoctorA conversation about the second Doctor and the actor who played him, Patrick Troughton Presented by Matt Barber, with Jon Arnold, Mark Donaldson and Dylan Rees
2024-06-2157 min
Strangers in SpaceWho Review Extra 32: SurvivalThe randometer lands on the final story of the original run, Survival - but is it a Masterful end to the classic series? Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold, Matt Barber, Mark Donaldson and Dylan Rees
2024-06-1533 min
Strangers in SpaceBlue Box 151: William RussellThe audio edition of our freewheeling and irreverent conversation about William Russell Enoch, who passed away last week at the age of 99 Presented by Dylan Rees, with Jon Arnold, Matt Barber, Mark Donaldson and J.R. Southall
2024-06-1443 min
Strangers in SpaceWho Review 28: 73 YardsWe're halfway through the first series of the new era of Doctor Who and the talking points - and comparisons - are mounting up Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold, Matt Barber, Mark Donaldson and Iain Martin
2024-05-2654 min
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Duet 15: Evil DeadAfter our discussion about the Sam Raimi trilogy last week, we turn our attention to the two modern resurrections, and ask if they are worthy successors - or indeed, whether the spirit of Evil Dead is really in them at all Presented by J.R. Southall, with Mark Donaldson and Dylan Rees
2024-05-1533 min
Strangers in SpaceBlue Box 149: YouGov's Most Popular Doctor Whos 2024In 2018 YouGov made a survey of British adults to discover how they felt about the various actors who have played Doctor Who - so we've gone back to the website five years later and sifted through the data to see if those opinions have changed in the meantime... Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold, Matt Barber and Mark Donaldson
2024-05-1045 min
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club 62: The Evil DeadSam Raimi's Evil Dead trilogy takes itself far less seriously than most of the rest of its contemporary "video nasty" movies, but how does it stand up four decades on? Presented by Dylan Rees, with Mark Donaldson and J.R. Southall
2024-05-0850 min
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Extra: The Zone of InterestOur thoughts on the tenth and last of the Best Picture nominees from this year's Academy Awards; spoiler: it isn't exactly Barbie. Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold, Matt Barber and Mark Donaldson
2024-03-0631 min
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Extra: YouGov's Top 25 Sci-Fi & Fantasy FilmsIt's the Top 25 sci-fi - and fantasy - films like you've never seen it before, direct from the YouGov website Countdown by J.R. Southall, witnessed by Jon Arnold, Matt Barber and Mark Donaldson
2024-03-0443 min
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club 60: All Of Us Strangers in J-SpaceNot a contender for Best Picture at this year's Oscars, yet possibly the best film of the year, is Andrew Haigh's All Of Us Strangers - so to do it justice, we've paired it up with a couple of obvious antecedents (Haigh's 45 Years and Summer Among the Zombies aka The Discarnates, the previous movie adaptation of the Japanese novel Strangers) so we can give it the attention it deserves Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold, Matt Barber and Mark Donaldson You can watch The Discarnates at the Wayback Machine
2024-03-011h 13
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Extra: Poor ThingsOur journey through this year's Best Picture nominees arrives at Poor Things, Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone's next collaboration after The Favourite, and an adaptation of the 1992 Alasdair Gray novel. But can it win? This episode presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold and Mark Donaldson Poor Things
2024-02-2842 min
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Extra: American FictionOur attention turns to another of this year's Best Picture Oscar nominees, and this week it's Jeffrey Wright in American Fiction; warning: we try not to spoil the way this film goes but if you are planning on seeing it, do that first before you listen to this Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold and Mark Donaldson
2024-02-0734 min
Strangers in SpaceBlue Box 136: Missing Achieves HypeOnce more we throw ourselves back into the Doctor Who timelines, to investigate how we think things might have turned out differently had alternative choices been made; two conversations this time, firstly regarding the mystique of the missing episodes, and then concerning the effects of Covid on Flux Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold and Mark Donaldson, and Matt Barber
2024-02-0558 min
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Lite 55: The Game (1997)Seven was one of those films it's almost impossible to follow, so instead David Fincher went on to make something very different. But how does The Game look, more than a quarter of a century on? This episode presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold, Matt Barber and Mark Donaldson The Game Our links page
2024-02-0233 min
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Extra: Past LivesCeline Song's debut as director is a film about two adults trying to reconnect after being separated as children, but the bigger question is: will it connect enough with the Academy to bring home an Oscar? This episode presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold and Mark Donaldson
2024-01-3121 min
Strangers in SpaceBlue Box 135: January News Round-Up (Slight Return)Given the gossip and rumour surrounding the eventual, inevitable change of companion, we returned to our microphones to give some further opinions on the state of play in Cardiff Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold, Mark Donaldson and Dylan Rees
2024-01-2941 min
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Lite 53: Ronin (1998)The latter 1990s were a new golden age for smart and unusual thrillers, and even John Frankenheimer was getting in on the act; but more important than whether we liked it, what's with De Niro's pronunciation of Hereford? Ronin This episode presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold, Mat Barber and Mark Donaldson Our links page
2024-01-2630 min
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Extra: Killers of the Flower MoonMartin Scorsese's latest is another three-hour epic starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, but will it be in serious contention for this year's Best Picture Academy Award? This episode presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold and Mark Donaldson
2024-01-1532 min
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Extra: The HoldoversAlexander Payne's latest The Holdovers feels like a traditional Christmas tale told using some equally traditional trappings, but does it have enough about it to get it into this year's Academy Awards conversation? Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold, Matt Barber and Mark Donaldson
2024-01-1231 min
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Extra: SaltburnSaltburn: is it as sticky as it sounds? Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold, Matt Barber and Mark Donaldson
2024-01-1033 min
Strangers in SpaceBlue Box 133: 2022/3 Specials Poll ResultsOur listeners voted on their favourite stories from the last two years of Doctor Who, and these are the results Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold, Matt Barber and Mark Donaldson Our podcast links page
2024-01-081h 32
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Extra: Christmas at the Holly Day InnOnce we found out that Colin Baker was going to be in a cheap and cheerful British answer to the Hallmark-style Christmas movie, we couldn't spend our holidays without taking a look Christmas at the Holly Day Inn This episode presented by J.R. Southall, with Mark Donaldson, Iain Martin and Dylan Rees Our podcast links page
2023-12-1830 min
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Duet 14: BarbenheimerWe missed out on podcasting about Barbenheimer at the time, so what better way to spend Christmas than by recreating the phenomenon in the depths of winter? Presented by J.R. Southall, with Jon Arnold and Mark Donaldson Our podcast links page
2023-12-0653 min
Strangers in SpaceBlue Box 126: Anniversary Quiz - Only ConnectIt's Day Four of the audio version of our Anniversary Quiz, and today's edition is our Doctor Who variation on University Challenge Watch the whole thing instead here, in our Quiz Playlist This episode presented by: J.R. Southall With: Jon Arnold Mark Donaldson Matt Barber
2023-11-1832 min
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Extra: The KillerDavid Fincher's latest takes him back to the world of crime, so obviously we're on the scene investigating... This episode presented by: J.R. Southall With: Matt Barber Mark Donaldson
2023-11-1630 min
Strangers in SpaceBlue Box 124: Anniversary Quiz - ImpossibleIt's Day Two of the audio version of our Anniversary Quiz, and today's edition is our Doctor Who variation on Impossible Watch the whole thing instead here, in our Quiz Playlist This episode presented by: J.R. Southall With: Dylan Rees Iain Martin Mark Donaldson
2023-11-1543 min
Strangers in SpaceBlue Box 123: Anniversary Quiz - PointlessIt's Day One of the audio version of our Anniversary Quiz, and today's edition is our Doctor Who variation on Pointless Watch the whole thing instead here, in our Quiz Playlist This episode presented by: J.R. Southall With: Jon Arnold Dylan Rees Mark Donaldson
2023-11-1335 min
Strangers in SpaceWho Review Extra 22: Dimensions in TimeYou might think it's Doctor Who's sixtieth anniversary that we're currently celebrating, but in some quarters it's the thirtieth anniversary of the thirtieth anniversary that's of more relevance. And so here is our review of that period, with particular emphasis on the first old new (not-quite?) Who since the original run came to an end, Dimensions in Time This episode presented by: Dylan Rees With: Jon Arnold Matt Barber Mark Donaldson Iain Martin
2023-11-101h 16
Strangers in SpaceBlue Box 118: Eric Without EndWhat if Eric Saward had done this, what if Eric Saward had done that - and what if Eric Saward had done the other? We just couldn't help ourselves This episode presented by: J.R. Southall With: Jon Arnold Matt Barber Mark Donaldson Iain Martin
2023-10-0643 min
Strangers in SpaceBlue Box 116: Yankee Doodle WhoMore Doctor Who What Iffery, this time concentrating on the question of whether America should be making, or should have made, the series This episode presented by: J.R. Southall With: Jon Arnold Matt Barber Mark Donaldson
2023-09-1840 min
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Lite 49: Defence of the Realm (1985)Arriving around the same time as Edge of Darkness, this was another energy industry adjacent conspiracy thriller, albeit more in the classic Hollywood style; but man, the cast and credits Defence of the Realm on YouTube Defence of the Realm on Wiki This episode presented by: J.R. Southall With: Matt Barber Mark Donaldson
2023-09-1528 min
Strangers in SpaceTV Club 58: MessiahKen Stott as a dour Scottish detective solving themed religious murders in a rain-soaked city (for four series, before regenerating into Marc Warren), should be right up our street you would think... We (mostly) watched all of Messiah, so you wouldn't have to Messiah This episode presented by: J.R. Southall With: Matt Barber Mark Donaldson
2023-09-1343 min
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Extra: No Hard FeelingsOur review of Jennifer Lawrence's recent romantic comedy, Gene Stupnitsky's follow-up to Good Boys No Hard Feelings This episode presented by: J.R. Southall With: Mark Donaldson
2023-09-0122 min
Strangers in SpaceTV Club 55: The BearIt's won multiple awards as a comedy and it's currently one of the most talked about TV shows of the last year or so - but is The Bear really a comedy? Well, here we are, talking about it some more... The Bear This episode presented by: Dylan Rees With: Mark Donaldson J.R. Southall
2023-08-1635 min
Strangers in SpaceBlue Box 111: The Fugitive DoctorShe might only have appeared in fractions of a couple of episodes, but don't let that stop us from profiling the lives and times of Jo Martin's Fugitive Doctor This episode presented by: Matt Barber With: Jon Arnold Mark Donaldson Iain Martin
2023-07-2647 min
Strangers in SpaceTV Club 54: Moonbase 3In which we dig into the series that Terrance Dicks and Barry Letts made back when their time on Doctor Who was coming to an end, and ask whether it was really worth it This episode presented by: J.R. Southall With: Jon Arnold Dylan Rees Jim Cameron Mark Donaldson
2023-07-2452 min
Strangers in SpaceBlue Box 109: Change Without RenewalThe Strangers team travels back in time to 1966, to a critical nexus point in the evolution of Doctor Who, and ask what if history had unravelled somewhat differently This episode presented by: J.R. Southall With: Dylan Rees Mark Donaldson Matt Barber Our links page: Strangers in Space
2023-07-0344 min
Strangers in SpaceBlue Box 108: June News Round-UpThe first in a regular series of episodes looking at recent news stories from the world of Doctor Who and digging a little into what's behind them This episode presented by: J.R. Southall With: Jon Arnold Mark Donaldson
2023-06-2631 min
Strangers in SpaceBlue Box 107: The Movie DoctorHow does Peter Cushing's alternative 1960s take on the Doctor, fit in with other interpretations of the character? Peter Cushing's Doctor Who This episode presented by: Matt Barber With: Dylan Rees Jon Arnold Mark Donaldson
2023-05-2447 min
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club 56: Robert FuestAfter our look at the Dr Phibes movies, a retrospective of some of the rest of their director's work Robert Fuest Films under review: And Soon the Darkness (1970) The Final Programme (1973) The Devil's Rain (1975) This episode hosted by: J.R. Southall With: Dylan Rees Mark Donaldson
2023-05-151h 01
On the Time Lash137.2 Ol' Ping-Pong EyesSend us a textIn part 2 of our festive special, Ben, Mark and JR Southall return to discuss fan controversy 1970s style, by way of Robert Holmes' The Deadly Assassin. As a controversial moment in Doctor Who history, it's gone on to define how the show's mythology worked going forward. Can the same be said for The Timeless Children? Time will tell, it usually does.Under discussion: Tories being bastards on Gallifrey and in real life, Bernard Horsfall's scabby leg, and why there's no women on Gallifrey.Also: What's more disrespectful? Th...
2023-01-031h 13On the Time Lash137.1 When A Timeless Child Is BornSend us a textIn the first part of a 2-part festive special, Ben and Mark are joined by J.R Southall from the Strangers in Space podcast for a Christmas argument all about The Timeless Children.Under discussion: Doesn't the Timeless Children just return the character back to 1966? Where can kids catch up on the adventures of the George Gallacio Doctor? Will Doctor Who ever be a show with a broad appeal ever again? Does it have to be?Also: Mark drinks a can of turkey soup, J.R teaches us the...
2022-12-251h 11
Strangers in SpaceBlue Box 76: Flux, A RetrospectiveMark Donaldson of On the Time Lash joins us now that the dust has settled on Flux, to talk about the thirteenth series of Doctor Who
2022-01-061h 18
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Extra: The Matrix ResurrectionsMark Donaldson of the On the Time Lash podcast rejoins us to discuss the new Matrix movie, Resurrections
2021-12-2825 min
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Lite 15: The Matrix (1999)Ahead of our review of the latest instalment in The Matrix franchise, we look back at the very first film along with guest reviewer Mark Donaldson
2021-12-2629 min
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Lite 14: Die Hard (1988)As chosen by our listeners, we are joined by Ross Aitken (of the Gallifrey's Most Wanted podcast) and Mark Donaldson (of On the Time Lash) in order to ask of this year's Yuletide feature: is Die Hard a Christmas movie, or simply an action flick with festive trimmings? And after a painstaking process of argument and counter-argument - and a legally watertight margin of three votes to two - we think we've come up with an objectively decisive answer.
2021-12-2032 min
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Lite 13: eXistenZ (1999)Mark Donaldson rejoins us for this episode, to talk about David Cronenberg's grim fairy tale (or should that be fairly grim tale) eXistenZ, which arrived in 1999, the Year of Our Matrix
2021-12-1719 min
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Lite 12: The Thirteenth Floor (1999)Ahead of the release of the new sequel, Mark Donaldson joins us to look at The Thirteenth Floor, one of many similar films which appeared around the time of the first Matrix film back in 1999 Mark's own podcast
2021-12-1324 min
Strangers in SpaceFilm Club Extra: Last Night in SohoA review of Edgar Wright's latest Featuring guest reviewer Mark Donaldson of the On the Time Lash podcast
2021-11-2227 min
Strangers in SpaceDesert Planet Picks 45: The Time Lash TwoMark Donaldson and Ben Verth of the On the Time Lash podcast, reveal which eight items they would each take with them, if they were about to be marooned on a desert planet Warning: there are swears! Opening theme: Jesus Couldn't Drum On the Time Lash on Wordpress On Twitter And on Facebook
2020-01-301h 20