Last season, we made Dani watch Star Trek II, III and IV for the podcast, and to our suprise/relief she actually enjoyed them!

Emboldened by this, we decided to initiate Dani into Gene Roddenberry's utopian 1960s TV series so she can experience the OG 'Five Year Mission!'

Star Trek (now appended by fans as 'The Original Series' or 'TOS' for short) ran for three seasons from 1966-69 on NBC in the States. Despite the modest initial run, its cultural legacy has been enormous, becoming arguably the most famous science fiction franchise of all time. There are more Star Trek related products out there than we could ever hope to list!

But how will Dani greet this creaky old show full of hastily painted chipboard sets, papier-mâché rocks, and unevenly tailored uniforms?

Will Dani's hailing frequencies be open to its charm and optimism of a wonderful future for humanity in space? Or will she be raising shields to this melodramatic old dinosaur that is long since past its best?

To counter the rabid fandom of hosts John and Rebecca, our returning guest this episode is author, and casual Star Trek enjoyer, Will Hadcroft!

Credits:

Hosts: Dani Wray, Rebecca Wray, John Isles All music composed and performed by Steve Johnson https://www.idlebones.co.uk

All artwork and logos by Kevin Hiley. Directed and edited by Kevin Hiley

Produced by Kevin Hiley and Rebecca Wray

Contact details:

E-mail: idontdoscifi@gmail.com

Blue Sky: idontdoscifi.bsky.social

Facebook: I Don't Do Sci-fi

Will Hadcroft's latest audiobook 'Dark Contract' is available now.

Back in the 1950s when there were only two TV channels, when there was just 405 scanlines on the screen, and where televised dramas were still being performed live, Britain's flagship scifi series was Quatermass! The show followed the perilous adventures of Professor Bernard Quatermass, Head of the British Experimental Rocket Group. Over three serials he would face off against a succession of terrifying extraterrestrial menaces.

Quatermass and the Pit was the third Quatermass serial penned by scriptwriting legend Nigel Kneale, airing on the BBC from December 1958 to January 1959. This time Professor Quatermass (André Morell) investigates a strange palaeontological dig site beneath a Knightsbridge street. There, a fossilised human skull has been found, and beneath it a vast, smoothly polished cylinder of unknown composition and purpose. What Quatermass and his friend, palaeontologist Matthew Roney (Cec Linder) do know is that both have been buried there for five million years. The revelations that follow will end with the whole of London in flames.

Legend has it that Quatermass and the Pit was such a phenomena in its day, that pubs closed early as folk rushed home to watch the series finale. Perhaps the hype was real too, because TV critics have continued to this day to laud the serial as one of the greatest British dramas of the 1950s.

Now, the big question is, would what lies "down t'pit" be enough to tempt Dani away from ordering another vodka blue at the bar? OR will she find this classic 80 year old scifi to be 'the pits'? Listen now and find out!

Credits:

Hosts: Dani Wray, Rebecca Wray, John Isles All music composed and performed by Steve Johnson https://www.idlebones.co.uk

All artwork and logos by Kevin Hiley (with some help from DALL-E 3) Directed and edited by Kevin Hiley

Produced by Kevin Hiley and Rebecca Wray

Contact details:

E-mail: idontdoscifi@gmail.com

Twitter: @idontdoscifi

Facebook: I Don't Do Sci-fi

For this festive edition of "I Don't Do SciFi" we strongly reccomend you watch the version on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/KBDjGdxV_jE

On it, you'll find more chat, a longer reaction, and a whole extra bonus section not featured in the podcast version. It's almost twice as long!

Before Torchwood... The Sarah Jane Adventures... Class (er, maybe not)... K9 & Company was the first Doctor Who spin-off programme back in 1981. Dani had never heard of it!
Doctor Who producer John Nathan-Turner arranged to have the popular robot dog, K9 written out of series in 1981. To keep young fans happy, he hatched a plan to make a spin-off starring the character. Realising he would need a human lead, he recruited Elisabeth Sladen to return as Sarah Jane Smith (Tom Baker's companion who left Doctor Who in 1976).
The result was K9 & Company, with a pilot titled 'A Girl's Best Friend'.
It was a tale of small English village life, black magic, and market gardening! It was broadcast on 28th December 1981 on BBC1, and repeated the following Christmas on BBC2. The new head of drama in 1981 killed any idea of a series before it had even been screened.
We're joined by guest Gareth Preston of the Very British Futures Podcast. Will Dani come away from this with a better understanding of soil analysis or will it be a case of "Crusty jugglers!"

Credits:

Hosts: Dani Wray, Rebecca Wray, John Isles  All music composed and performed by Steve Johnson https://www.idlebones.co.uk  All artwork and logos by Kevin Hiley  Directed and edited by Kevin Hiley

Produced by Kevin Hiley and Rebecca Wray

Contact details:

E-mail: idontdoscifi@gmail.com

Twitter: @idontdoscifi

Facebook: I Don't Do Sci-fi

Instagram: idontdoscifi