Listen to the RadioTimes.com Doctor Who podcast: Is the TV movie really that bad?

We jump back in time to 1996 to revisit Paul McGann’s feature-length adventure.

Sylvester McCoy, Paul McGann in the 1996 Doctor Who TV movie — BBC

Huw Fullerton

Published: Wednesday, 3 June 2020 at 0:43 pm

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The Doctor Who TV movie is a strange and controversial note in the sci-fi series’ long history – but is the '90s take on the Time Lord really that bad?

In this week’s RadioTimes.com Doctor Who podcast, we take a look at the 1996 attempt to revive the series in a US setting, which starred Paul McGann as a new Eighth Doctor who battled the Master (Eric Roberts) in San Francisco on the eve of the Millennium.

Sure, there’s are some awkward moments and very '90s styling – but with one of the best TARDIS interiors to date, a terrific new Doctor and plenty of action, we find plenty to love in the TV Movie. Plus, is Eric Robert’s dastardly Master actually a pretty underrated incarnation?

One thing’s for sure – denied a full series, Paul McGann’s Eighth Doctor is the most unlucky Time Lord in the series’ history. But looking at where the series went next (and how much the Eighth Doctor appeared in books and audio dramas), was it all for the best in the end?

Listen to the podcast now and see what we thought – and if you want more Who chat, you can check out last week’s edition of the our Doctor Who podcast here.