The Trial of a Time Lord fatigue sets in and it's only episode 2

We dive headlong into the second installment of The Mysterious Planet this week, only to find a struggle with the overarching structure of The Trial of a Time Lord . From the pitfalls of 1980s "stunt casting" to the surprisingly accurate technological predictions of the mid-80s, we explore why this era of Doctor Who often feels like a struggle between a standalone story and a courtroom drama. Our key talking points The "Bland" Factor: Why The Mysterious Planet lacks a certain "humanity" compared to other "mid-tier" stories like Black Orchid or Paradise Towers . Stunt Casting vs. Character: We look at the appearances of Joan Sims and Brian Blessed , and whether their larger-than-life personas pull the audience out of the story. A Win for the Prop Department: We marvel at a service robot that looks suspiciously like a modern-day automated vacuum cleaner —is this 1980s Doctor Who's most accurate prediction of future tech? Scale and Sci-Fi Talk: Why "wanted in the six galaxies" feels like a hollow threat compared to the more grounded stakes of Star Wars or earlier eras of the show. Peri’s Perspective: A rare moment where Peri isn't being objectified or "claimed" as a future wife (at least until Mindwarp ). But here's the thing: at the midway point of this 4-parter season opener, it oddly feels more taxing than any commentary we've done before -- especially comparing this with how the show's format and pace was completely different a couple of years later. We're presenting our commentaries to you on Patreon in a complete story-by-story package, in both video and audio. To remind you, Season 23 comprised the following individual stories: The Mysterious Planet by Robert Holmes Mindwarp by Philip Martin Terror of the Vervoids by Pip and Jane Baker The Ultimate Foe by Robert Holmes (with Pip and Jane Baker) Help us climb the charts! We are on a mission to raise our profile on Apple Podcasts, and we can’t do it without you. If you enjoy what we do, please leave a review . It takes 30 seconds but makes a massive difference in helping new listeners find us. While you’re there, make sure you’re subscribed so you never miss a drop. Not on Apple Podcasts? No problem. You can still help us grow. Leave a review on your platform of choice and send us the link via X/Twitter , Facebook , or directly to editor@kasterborous.co.uk . We’ll make sure to give you a shout-out in a future episode as a thank you for your support. Thanks! What do you think of the Sixth Doctor's final stand? Let us know in the comments.

You can listen to The Trial of a Time Lord fatigue sets in and it's only episode 2 online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

The Trial of a Time Lord fatigue sets in and it's only episode 2 is an episode from Kasterborous: Doctor Who PodKast (with a K) by Christian Cawley.

This episode is 25:21 long.

This episode was published on May 11, 2026.

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