Transcript for Centenary Special Trailer Reaction (A Wibbly Wobbly Minisode!)

Lucia Kelly: Hello and welcome to the Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey Podcast!

Talia Franks: I’m Talia Franks, media critic, fanfic enthusiast, and I haven’t heard from the Doctor in nearly four decades.

Lucia Kelly: I’m Lucia Kelly, expert in applied analysis, and it’s been nearly three for me.

Talia Franks: And we’re here today for a Wibbly Wobbly Minisode!

Lucia Kelly: Today we’ll be talking about the trailer for the Doctor Who BBC centenary special.

Talia Franks: The centenary special will be airing sometime in autumn. We will get a date. Eventually.

Lucia Kelly: Reminder that time isn’t a straight line. It can twist into any shape and as such, this is a FULLY SPOILED PODCAST! Special attention to the fact that this is fully spoiled, Old Who and New Who, because, Ah! But we might bring things in from later on in the show, earlier in the show, the comics, the books, the audio dramas, or even fan theories and articles!

Talia Franks: I will definitely be talking about books.

Talia Franks: With that out of the way, this is the end of the Doctor’s existence! So let’s get in the TARDIS.

(Transition wobbles)

Lucia Kelly: This is the one with Kate, Vinder, Ace, and Tegan y’all! (Lucia squeals) I’m so excited! Those are my girls! Tegan and Kate and Ace are my girls!

Talia Franks: And Vinder is my boy! Yaaaas Vinder! Ay-ooo! (Lucia laughs)

Lucia Kelly: I’m so excited. You may or may not be able to tell. I am so excited.

Talia Franks: And the Master is back!

Lucia Kelly: I mean, we said it. Did we not say it? Did we not say it? If the Master was not part of the centenary special what are we doing here? (Talia giggles)

Talia Franks: (Transition wobbles) Yeah. Oh my God. Okay. Okay. What are we going to talk about first? So I’ve been meaning to read Sophie Aldred’s book At Childhood’s End for like ever. So, it’s a book with Ace and Thirteen and I’m so pumped. Also Doctor Who Redacted, which is another Thirteenth Doctor project that’s coming out. It features Jodie Whitaker’s Doctor, Rani Chandra, Kate Stewart, Petronella Osgood, Madam Vastra, and… a whole bunch of other newer characters, and it’s written by Juno Dawson, who’s – wrote one of my favorite Thirteenth Doctor books, The Good Doctor. I listened to the first episode of Doctor Who Redacted just a little bit ago – for reference, we are currently recording this on April 18th – but it’s really good, so I’m excited for that. There’s so much Extended Universe stuff happening. I’m really excited to see how much of it is going to impact Extended Universe stuff, Old Who stuff, New Who stuff, Just all of it coming together in this big, beautiful explosion of things. I’m definitely planning to do some Old Who watches leading up to this. I’ll probably be doing some live tweets on Twitter. I’m going to be watching a lot of it though, so I probably won’t livetweet all of it.

Talia Franks: Just some of the more popular episodes. I’ll definitely be live tweeting Tegan and Ace’s introductory episodes, along with a few others.

Talia Franks: I know you are not fully caught up, Lucia. So I expect you to get fully caught up because Ashad was also in this trailer.

Talia Franks: The cyberman in this trailer was Ashad. You won’t know who he fully is until you watched the series 12 finale episodes. So you need to get fully caught up. I presume you will be resuming your live tweets?

Lucia Kelly: Yeah.

Talia Franks: Of those episodes?

Lucia Kelly: Definitely.

Talia Franks: Yeah. So listeners watch out for a lot of live tweets coming up on our Twitter account. Lucia watching Thirteen’s episodes, me watching Old Who, in the coming months, in preparation.

Lucia Kelly: So full disclosure, I did get slightly spoiled because I was scrolling through tumblr, follow our tumblr, by the way, @WibblyPod on tumblr. I’m in charge of it and I post cool stuff on there and I reblog a lot of fanworks and things.

Lucia Kelly: But I was scrolling through tumblr casually and basically I saw a little post being like, “I can’t believe two of the most queer coded Classic Who companions are coming back for the Centenary.” And I was like, (Lucia whispers) “Shit, what?” So one of them’s gotta be Ace. Gotta be Ace. And I’m like, “But no. Surely they wouldn’t … They won’t bring back T – T – Teag – Tegan? – Tegan?! My girl?! My girl Tegan?! Known to be hated by fandom because she just wanted to go home and it was completely valid!? Like?! (Lucia laughs and Talia giggles)

Lucia Kelly: Tegan gets such a bad rap and I’m so ready and so happy to be Number One Captain Defense Squad and so happy that she’s come back.

Lucia Kelly: Tegan is so valid in everything she does, and she gets so much shit for it. (Lucia laughs)

Talia Franks: So you want to know the hilarious thing about my relationship with Old Who? I have not seen a lot of Old Who episodes, but I have read a lot of Doctor Who fanfiction that references Old Who, so most of my exposure to Old Who companions is via their representation in Doctor Who fanfiction and a handful of episodes that I’ve seen.

Talia Franks: But I’ve seen some episodes with the First Doctor and Ian and Barbara. (Editorial note: Talia upon reflection remembers Susan, but didn’t think of her at the time) I’ve seen episodes with the Third Doctor and Jo Grant. I’ve seen episodes with the Fourth Doctor and Romana. The second Romana. And I’ve seen episodes with the Fifth Doctor and Peri. And I don’t know that I’ve seen any Second Doctor, Sixth Doctor, or Seventh Doctor, and I haven’t seen the movie. So I need to watch more. I need to watch more Old Who.

Talia Franks: I just got BritBox. So I am planning to watch more Old Who.

Lucia Kelly: Given that Talia’s given their run down, I’ll also say mine. I’ve watched some of First Doctor, some of Fourth Doctor, a fair bit of Fifth Doctor because Tegan was in it – (Lucia and Talia laugh) – and a little bit of Seven as well, so I’m a bit more familiar with both Tegan and Ace as characters as they were in the show, which is why I’m so excited. (Lucia laughs) And I have also seen the movie, which … is an experience. (Talia stifles a laugh) We’ll talk about it at some point in the future.

Talia Franks: The funny thing about the movie is that I actually own the book that is the movie (Lucia stifles a laugh) and I haven’t read it yet. (Talia wheezes a laugh)

Lucia Kelly: Okay. (Lucia sounds like she is rolling her eyes) I find novelizations of – novelizations are always – they’re an interesting breed. (Lucia laughs)

Talia Franks: I didn’t want to read the book until I watched the movie.

Lucia Kelly: We’ve gotten dangerously off topic.

Talia Franks: We have.

 (Transition wobbles)

Lucia Kelly: So obviously it’s 46 seconds – it’s not a lot to go on— and primarily it is just being like, “Look at all these guests stars! Aren’t you excited?” And we nod and say, “Yes! Yes! We are very excited.”

Lucia Kelly: Love the fact that the Master is coming back, can’t wait to see him again. Delightful, dangerous, crazy man. (Lucia laughs)

Talia Franks: Yeah, it was very predictable that he was going to come back though, especially with the “And their Master” bit at the end of Flux, but it’s still a delight to hear that he’s going to come back. Cause Sacha Dhawan is, chef’s kiss, brilliant actor.

Lucia Kelly: Yeah. I’ve been watching The Great recently and he’s in that as well, playing a very different character. But yeah, Sacha Dhawan is just such a delight, in every single aspect of that word, and I love seeing him on screen whenever I can. He’s great. I’m so excited.

Talia Franks: Yeah. I’m – I’m so excited. I feel like this episode is just us saying “We’re so excited! (Talia giggles)

Talia Franks: But yeah, I’m so excited. Cannot wait for this episode, though I have to wait, which is why I’m going to supplement all of my waiting with getting caught up on Old Who.

Talia Franks: Yeah, so is there anything else you want to say about this trailer?

Lucia Kelly: Not really. I was just happy to squee with you.

Lucia Kelly: It’s being built as a big crossover episode, bringing in all these different characters from different places, different times, specifically to do with the Doctor’s history, so … I’m interested to see what kind of plot we’re looking at, and how that’s all gonna tie in together.

Lucia Kelly: But at this point it’s just, really excited anticipation.

Talia Franks: Yeah. I’m also interested by the fact that they still haven’t announced to the new Doctor is going to be, and they’re very much playing up this “No regeneration” angle (Lucia hmms in agreement) and I’m like … Like, it’s very interesting that they haven’t announced (who) the new Doctor’s going to be like my roommate, who is not – they’re really into Doctor Who, but they’re not as much of a diehard fan as I am – were like, “Isn’t it weird that they haven’t announced a new Doctor yet? Do they usually wait this long to announce the new Doctor?”

Talia Franks: And I’m like, “Do they usually wait this long to announce the new Doctor?” I don’t know. It’s been such a long time since they announced a new Doctor.

Lucia Kelly: I feel like Jodie was announced very early, but part of that was the fact that was a groundbreaking choice for the show?

Talia Franks: I feel like, Peter Capaldi was also announced early?

Lucia Kelly: Hmm, honestly, I’m a fan of it. I think that a lot of fan culture has got too tied up in this idea of supplemental information, and press releases, and this idea that you can only fully understand something if you’re keeping up with every latest update from the creators, I think that’s actually … detrimental to good storymaking and also being able to appreciate what’s being made for what it is. So they could keep it a secret right up until the regeneration, and I would be happy, but I know that’s not how a lot of people are. (Lucia laughs)

Talia Franks: So on the one hand, I appreciate that, on the other hand, I think it feeds into what a lot of people have been saying, which is that the BBC doesn’t care about Doctor Who anymore. Which is what I have a problem with – and like the hatred that a lot of people have for this era, like what I was saying in our last episode about people in Twitter and Instagram comments being like, “God, I can’t wait until this episode is – until this era is over and until RTD comes back” and all that sort of shitty stuff.

Lucia Kelly: Listeners know to come to us for the real conversations.

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Talia Franks: Yeah, I think I’m looking forward to this episode. I’m really sad that Jodie Whittaker is leaving. I think she’s probably one of, if not the best Doctor of the modern era.

Talia Franks: I feel like to a certain extent, Capaldi will always be my Doctor.

Talia Franks: It’s weird, cause Matt Smith was the first Doctor where I was watching live, but Peter Capaldi was the first Doctor where I felt invested, in a weird way. I felt connected to his Doctor in a way that I didn’t feel connected to Matt Smith’s Doctor?

Talia Franks: Peter Capaldi’s Doctor feels so grounded, where Matt Smith’s Doctor feels untouchable.

Talia Franks: But then Jodie Whitaker’s Doctor – like her Doctor – I feel such a like, kinship with her Doctor and with Capaldi’s Doctor’s in ways that I just have not felt with other Doctors.

Talia Franks: And I feel like they both bring a warmth and vitality to the character in different ways. And it’s not that the other Doctors don’t have that, but they just – they just feel very invigorating in a way that for some reason other Doctors don’t and I can’t really explain it.

Talia Franks: And you haven’t seen Capaldi, so you’re not allowed to judge him.

Lucia Kelly: I wasn’t going to judge him. I was going to compliment him.

Lucia Kelly: Particularly the transition between Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi, and this is something that we will talk about at length, but –

Lucia Kelly: And this is nothing against Matt Smith, but at the time he was an incredibly inexperienced actor where Peter Capaldi was not. They came at the role at incredibly different times in their careers and I feel like that’s very noticeable in their representations of the role.

Lucia Kelly: I think it makes sense that you can sense that noticeable difference when you watch it. I know Matt Smith has a lot of very … enthusiastic fans, (Lucia laughs a little) but we’ve never been afraid of coming home with hard truths, so – (Lucia laughs)

Talia Franks: Lucia, I’m going to make you uncomfortable.

Lucia Kelly: Oh, wow. How unexpected.

Talia Franks: We’re the same age Matt Smith was when he started being the Doctor.

Lucia Kelly: Stop saying that.

Talia Franks: Actually we’re older than Matt Smith was when he was cast. (Talia giggles)

Lucia Kelly: Which to my point, right, like – (Talia continues to giggle)

Lucia Kelly: In the like, fantasy world were I got offered the role of the Doctor, I would probably decline it because I know I’m not at a level where I could do that role justice. Do you know? Like – (Talia mhmms in agreement)

Lucia Kelly: As an actor, as a theater person, right? I know I don’t – I have even less experience than Matt Smith was (had) but beyond actual like, theater and performing experience.

Lucia Kelly: I simply don’t believe that I have enough life experience to be able to bring the correct depth to that kind of role, and I don’t think any twenty-five-year-old really has that depth. And so going from that twenty-five-year-old to Peter Capaldi, who is a much more experienced actor, lot more life experience, and had such a wealth of knowledge to bring to that role and to the set makes complete sense to me.

Talia Franks: Yeah. That makes sense to me too.

Lucia Kelly: Yeah.

Talia Franks: Sorry I made you uncomfortable.

Lucia Kelly: I know you’re not sorry.

Talia Franks: You know I’m not sorry. (Talia giggles)

Lucia Kelly: But it – it’s nice that you apologized

Talia Franks: Anyway, we’ve gotten very off topic. So, Thank you dear listeners for listening to our (Talia laughs) slight ramblings.

Talia Franks: We will see you next time for Idiot’s Lantern, which –

Lucia Kelly: Ooo. Get ready, (Lucia laughs)

Talia Franks: Ooo. Get ready folks. Get ready. We’re going to have a time.

Lucia Kelly: See you then. Bye. (Lucia laughs)

Talia Franks: Bye.

Lucia Kelly: Thank you for listening to The Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey Podcast.

Talia Franks: We hope you enjoyed this adventure with us through space and time.

Lucia Kelly: You can find us elsewhere on the internet on Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram @WibblyPod. Follow us for more Wibbly Wobbly content.

Talia Franks: You can find out more information about us and our content on wibblywobblytimeywimey.net, and full transcripts for episodes at wibblywobblytimeywimey.net/transcripts.

Lucia Kelly: If you’d like to get in touch with us, you can also send us an email at wibblywobblytimeywimeypod@gmail.com.

Talia Franks: Please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and other platforms as it helps other people find us and our content.

Lucia Kelly: If you’d like to support us, you can send us a donation at paypal.me/wibblypod

Talia Franks: Special thanks to our editor, Dee who has been a vital member of the Wibbly Wobbly Team.

Lucia Kelly: That’s all for now. Catch you in the time vortex!