A thread to discuss your favourite commentaries on episodes, the ones you didn’t like so much and the ones which actively annoyed you!
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As I posted in the currently watching thread, I just listened to David Tennant and Mark Gatiss on The Lazarus Experiment. Very entertaining.
I also recently listened to/watched the in-vision commentary on The Vampires of Venice which was frankly a bit dull.
And two which I still hold grudges against:
- The Space Museum - Peter Purves moderates this one and is really horrid about the story despite Maureen O’Brien trying to steer the conversation away. It’s a commentary that made me really dislike Purves for a while because he is just really arrogant in that space.
- Black Orchid - Peter Davison and Janet Fielding ragging on the story for 50 minutes with Davison declaring this sort of story doesn’t belong in Doctor Who (which is just plain wrong). Sarah Sutton gamely tries to point out how much she enjoyed it but audibly gives up trying halfway through because Davison and Fielding think they are hilarious.
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This may also be a good place to remind the world of a lesser-known corner of modern Who content - the BBC website podcast commentaries. These ran for every episode of David Tennant’s first run as the Doctor, and are entirely separate from the commentaries on the DVD releases (except The Christmas Invasion, which I believe was identical). So, for every episode from New Earth to Journey’s End, there were two official commentaries recorded - one on the DVD boxsets, and one released as a podcast. And the best bit? The podcast commentaries are still available for free on BBC Sounds.
Oddly, they don’t come up when you search for them on the app or the website, and it says ‘no episodes available’ - but if you find a link external to BBC Sounds, the page is still live and you can listen to (though not download) each one. They take exactly the same format as the DVD ones and are equally fun (or maybe I should say equally hit and miss), but they’re with different people. So simply search ‘Doctor Who [episode title] commentary’ on Google and click the BBC Sounds link that should show up in the first two or three results.
The first one is here: Doctor Who (2005–2022) - Series 2 - New Earth Commentary - BBC Sounds
As I say, you’ll have to re-search for each one as there’s no directory page that I’ve found and no ‘next episode’ link or similar. It’s like they really don’t want anyone to find them. But they are there!
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This one makes me laugh and I hope it’s on the steel book release. Sylvester and Paul are having a whale of a time
Also Paul in a hushed voice going “I. Hated. That. Wig.” In the background. Nick Briggs is actually quite funny in this one too!
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Yes indeed. I have the one released for The Lazarus Experiment cued up. It’s weird how they look like they’re not still available and yet they are if you look in the right part of the BBC website.
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Omg I didn’t know about that, I thought only the DVD commentaries existed, thanks a lot for the link!
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Fifth Doccy Team commentaries are the best, most fun, entertaining & irreverant.
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The Tennant/Collinson commentary for The Five Doctors is a particular favourite of mine. “The Fridge Door of Rassilon”
It always made me wish NuWho Doctors had done more commentaries – would’ve been fun to have had Smith and Moffat on Tomb of the Cybermen, for example.
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Except Black Orchid…
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Love that Five Doctors one and, yes, there should have been more.
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NO. Including Black Orchid 
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Just watched Voyage of the Damned with the DVD commentary. Sadly, it adds very little to a story that is already painful IMO, but I was enlightened when Murray Gold explained that the lyrics of his song The Stowaway intentionally foreshadow the events of series 4 - something I’d never picked up on!
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Followed it up with the Partners in Crime commentary. Far more listenable, although the content was mainly bits most of us have heard many times before. I am impressed that Julie Gardner can work in the word ‘parsnip’ twice without anyone noticing though.
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In general I prefer Classic Era commentary tracks. I find the Nu Who ones a bit too self-congratulatory.
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From the State of Decay commentary track -
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That sounds really fun! Is that on the DVD?
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Yes, it’s on the 25th anniversary DVD of the Five Doctors from 2008. I have a feeling it was Easter egg but I can’t remember as I only listened to it once and that was years ago. But it was a lot of fun.
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No wonder I’ve never heard this!!!
To access this hidden feature, press right at Companions Commentary in the Audio Options section of the Special Features menu to reveal a hidden Doctor Who logo.
I could’ve sworn I’d been through all the extras on that DVD when I was younger. That explains it! Will check this out, soon.
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Yeah. It was my favourite DVD easter egg at the time. I need to relisten, but I remember it being such good fun. Tennant absolutely fanboys his way through it and they gently take the mick at times, but in a loving way. Well worth seeking out.
If you have the physical DVD, go to the ‘Audio Options’ menu. Click on the hidden Doctor Who logo to the right of ‘Companions Commentary’.
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Just started listening to the new commentary track on The Awakening (from The Collection: Season 21 ). Peter Davison, Janet Fielding, Mark Strickson, moderated by Matthew Sweet. Off to a good start with Mark joining remotely from the other side of the world.
Mark Strickson: “It’s quarter past eleven at night, & I’m looking forward to The Awakening.” 
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