Freyburg

And so it’s come to this. At long last the RFS crew reaches “Journey’s End,” the final episode of Series Four, and a story that nicely sums up Who scribe Gareth Roberts term of “anticipointment.” So much potential, frittered away in a fruitless wasting of the Rose story arc and Benny Hill-esque dispatchment of the Daleks. Still, Julian Bleach’s Davros and the sad fate of Donna Noble rescued the episode from the Trash-Bin of Utter Contempt (next door neighbour to the Gun of Spite) and gave our three heroes much gristle to chew over, spit out, and look at askance.

More thrilling commentary, this time for the “Stolen Earth,” clearly the best roller coaster ride of Series 4, if not of the entire run of the new series. It’s all downhill from here though, as “Journey’s End” is coming up next, and we all know how that turned out. Still, witticisms and nerdy banter ahead!

The Three Who Rule were efficacious in their praise for Turn Left, a tour de force performance from Catherine Tate and the best part of Rose’s rather presumptuous arrival into Series 4. Of course, a good episode means we spend most of our time rapt in wonder and not actually commentating, but we made a special effort to lay down some bon mot as we enjoyed things being on Donna’s back, Doctors dying and mirrors sending people sideways through time.

Oh yes, and happy 45th birthday, Doctor Who.

“Midnight,” Series Four’s “Donna-lite” episode, got a solid round of “well dones” from the Three Who Rule, due to some fine acting and gold old-fashioned claustrophobic writing, harkening back to the old days of silver jumpsuits and very limited sets. We also covered what little there was to say about the two minute teaser for “The Next Doctor,” airing this Christmas in England and very shortly thereafter on computers across the globe. Allons-y!

Chris ran into some serious technical difficulties this week, but eventually sucked up his pride and used a PC rather than his beloved Mac to deliver unto you, our loyal fans, a commentary of “Forest of the Dead.” And that’s it really, there was no news (other than a rather impressive changing of the guard in Washington, D.C.) to discuss, and for the most part the Three Who Rules stayed on-topic and focused on the episode playing out in front of them. Amazing.

Our commentary on “Silence in the Library” was upstaged somewhat by one David Tennant’s decision to quit the role of The Doctor after the four 2009 specials. Fandom was agog, aflame and otherwise a-twitter with speculation on who the next Doctor will be, and we were no different, making this one of our longer prognostications. And we sort of stayed on topic every once in a while….occasionally. Also, as of next week we promise there’ll be no more political appeals to our American listeners, for better or for ill.

Steven and Warren braved the depths of mediocrity in order to bring you “The Doctor’s Daughter,” one of the lesser lights of Season Four. But after six months since our original viewing, it must be said that David Tennant rises to the occasion and puts in some first-rate acting in an otherwise fourth rate story. Brace yourselves and listen, chums.

With the Third Guy back in England and without any Internet to speak of at the moment, it was up to Warren and Steven to bring…very little in the way of news, a brief review of the first episode of Season 2 of the Sarah Jane Adventures, and a commentary for “the Sontaran Stratagem,” a welcome return of an old favorite enemy from the classic series. Not that the pair stayed on topic all that much (if at all) but nonetheless, things of a potato-headed nature were duly noted and celebrated.

And with that, Radio Free Skaro reached 100 episodes. It’s been a strange trip for the Three Who Rule to internet femto-celebrity and renown as slightly amusing Whovian reprobates, but here we are. And we celebrate this milestone by beginning our Season Four commentaries with “Partners in Crime.” Allons-y!

More fake news and the continuation of our commentary for “Monster of Peladon” which, using our amazing ability to create nonsensical backstories to sustain interest, became a compelling after-school special about Ruprecht, the Special Needs Ice Warrior who just can’t get a break.