The Cloister Room

The Cloister Room 143 - FINAL

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 16:00:00 +0000

Tom and Louis have reached the end of their wanderings at last. But there’s still time to discuss one more episode of Doctor Who. And some other stuff.

“Fluidscape” by Kevin MacLeod licensed under CC BY 3.0

The Cloister Room is over, but watch this space in 2016.

The Cloister Room 142 - The Sound of His Chirps

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Thu, 24 Dec 2015 15:44:55 +0000

On the penultimate episode of The Cloister Room, Tom and Louis leave the TARDIS to journey to a galaxy far, far away. There are spoilers.

The Cloister Room 141 - The Mind Robert

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Thu, 17 Dec 2015 18:09:44 +0000

With Series Nine behind them, Tom and Louis journey to the land of fiction, where topics of discussion include the Doctor's fictionality, face blindness, and people that are horses.

The Cloister Room 140 - The Donna Treatment

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 11 Dec 2015 00:30:00 +0000

Tom and Louis visit scenic Gallifrey and have a nice bowl of soup. Topic include memory wipes, immortality, and whether this is or isn't the best series of Doctor Who ever.

The Cloister Room 139 - Perpetual Skull

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 05 Dec 2015 04:50:01 +0000

Trapped in their own bespoke torture castle, Tom and Louis must confess their shocking opinions about Peter Capaldi's new one-man show. Topics include skull ecology, confession dial procedure, and of course, hybrids.

The Cloister Room 138 - Bonkers Nonsensical Plan

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 27 Nov 2015 20:19:06 +0000

On a hidden street Tom and Louis must discuss the latest episode of Doctor Who, or they may be forced to face the raven...

The Cloister Room 137 - On-Demand Complaint Negation

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 21 Nov 2015 00:50:00 +0000

This audio was recovered from the computers of Tom Dickinson and Louis Mitas after they discussed Sleep No More.

The Cloister Room 136 - Vegan Zygons, Zygon Vegans, Vegons

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 09:59:32 +0000

Tom and Louis stand in a room in the Black Archive, their hands poised over buttons on opposing Osgood boxes. What will it be? Truth, or Consequences? Who is a human and who is a Zygon? All will (perhaps) be revealed!

The Cloister Room 135 - Zygon Riff

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 06 Nov 2015 22:30:00 +0000

Tom and Louis are back for another episode of The Cloister Room. But are they both truly who they seem to be? Or could either one of them be a Zygon in disguise? Or does it even really matter, in the end? All of this and more will be revealed in the latest episode of The Cloister Room, discussing The Zygon Invasion!

The Cloister Room 134 - No Worse Than What You'd Hear in a Shakespeare Play

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 22:28:25 +0000

Louis and Tom venture to regency England for an encounter with the mysterious highwayman known as the Knightmare. Topics of discussion include Mire-pattern baldness, the Lion King, and the color mauve.

The Cloister Room 133 - Shrub Jefferson

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 13:00:37 +0000

Tom and Louis have their long-awaited encounter with the mysterious Girl Who Died. But who is she? The Rani? Susan? Romana? Or something far stranger? Topics of discussion include the Doctor's face, iPhones, and eel habitats.

The Cloister Room 132 - This Is a Man in a Rubber Suit and We Are Proud

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 15:00:00 +0000

Journey with Tom and Louis back Before the Flood. Topics of discussion include secret workplace romance, the Fisher King's pseudo-death protocols, and the Doctor's vlog. All this plus missing episodes, Big Finish, and more! more! more!

The Cloister Room 131 - Corridor Relay Race

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 23:20:57 +0000

Tom and Louis journey Under the Lake (well, *into* the lake, at any rate), for a discussion of the latest adventure with the Doctor and Clara. Topics of discussion include candy, cliffhangers, and Class.

The Cloister Room 130 - Dr. Who and the Wheel of Snakes

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 00:26:55 +0000

That witch is familiar, isn’t she? Tom and Louis talk about the conclusion of the Doctor’s adventure on Skaro, and topics of discussion include how to write a good title, Kaledizing Davros, and Dalek strategy.

The Cloister Room 129 - A One-Man Show, or A Many-Snake Show

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 17:00:00 +0000

It's back! Doctor Who is back on our screens! Tom and Louis discuss the long-awaited premiere of series nine, and weigh in on the Doctor, Missy, Clara, and all the surprise reveals and whatnot. Also discussed is the theatrical screening of Dark Water/Death in Heaven. There's so much going on we forget to even mention Jenna Coleman's officially confirmed departure from Doctor Who! Oops!

All this, and stay to the end for a (moderately) important announcement.

The Cloister Room 128 - Skimming the Works of Kant

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 00:33:27 +0000

Tom and Louis revisit an old premise, discussing both the iconic Hartnell story The Dalek Invasion of Earth and its cinematic adaptation starring Peter Cushing. Topics of discussion include Bernard Cribbins, the allure of the post-apocalyptic, and just what exactly the Daleks wanted to do with Earth.

The Cloister Room 127 - I Am Also Looking At The Christmas Pudding Wikipedia Page

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 23:15:29 +0000

Tom and Louis chart a course for one of Big Finish’s most celebrated release, the chilling Chimes of Midnight. Topics of discussion include classic automobiles of the United Kingdom, companion-driven story arcs, Doctor Who’s ulitmate get-out-of-death-free card, and… well, a lot of stuff about pudding.

The Cloister Room 126 - You Don't Want a Generic Face

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Thu, 03 Sep 2015 21:32:22 +0000

This week, Tom and Louis pick up the funnybooks and talk about the first ten issues of the Tenth Doctor series from Titan Comics. Topics of discussion include the literary theory of comics, and David Tennant's face.

The Cloister Room 125 - Make Sure It's An Anjou Pear

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 02:16:15 +0000

Tom and Louis journey into the pages of Paul Cornell's novel Human Nature, featuring the Seventh Doctor and Bernice Summerfield! Along the way, comparisons to the televised adaptation with David Tennant ensue. There is much talk of pears.

The Cloister Room 124 - A Few More Hate Cells

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 01:18:21 +0000

Tom and Louis journey to Satellite Five to experience the Ninth Doctor's final stand, but are they just looking at the past through Rose colored glasses?

The Cloister Room 123 - The Nazi Parallels in Candy Land

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 02:16:54 +0000

After a week’s rest, Tom and Louis are back to discuss the Seventh Doctor and Ace’s adventure in a Nazi POW camp–Colditz! Topics of discussion include Klein’s golden age, lasers, and how David Tennant’s face is like a chicken parm sandwich.

The Cloister Room 122 - Well, As Long As We're Screwing With The Timeline

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 02:23:13 +0000

Once again a day late (we're not making a habit of it, we swear), Tom and Louis journey back into the archives of Big Finish to discuss the Fifth Doctor audio the Kingmaker, in all its historical hilarity. Topics of discussion include Shakespeare discontinuity, misdirection with the Master, and the Fourth Doctor's Big Finish pseudo-debut.

The Cloister Room 121 - Time-Vine

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 00:30:55 +0000

A day late but by no means a dollar short, this bumper edition of The Cloister Room features discussions of two different stories, bookending the Key to Time season--The Ribos Operation and The Armageddon Factor! If that turns out to be just slightly less than enough for you, how about a discussion of the new trailer for Series Nine of Doctor Who? Or how about a completely unrelated tangent about Animorphs? What are you waiting for? This thing is like an hour and a half long!

The Cloister Room 120 - Willing to Wiggle

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 00:45:26 +0000

Tom and Louis take a side step into the world of animation for a discussion of the 2003 webcast, Scream of the Shalka, starring Richard E. Grant as the Doctor! Topics of discussion include animation budgets, robot roommates, and the new series that never was.

The Cloister Room 119 - These Tent Shots Are Amazing

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 17:00:00 +0000

Tom and Louis have put a stop to their random wanderings. Invigorated by a new sense of directional purpose, and harangued by an artificially intelligent piece of junk mail, they journey to the Psychic Circus to discuss the Sylvester McCoy classic, The Greatest Show in the Galaxy. Topics of discussion include evil kites, fruit vending best practices, and just how psychic that circus really is, anyway.

The Cloister Room 118 - Wealthy Decadent Do-Nothings

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 17:00:00 +0000

Randomly, Tom and Louis wind up on the fanciest of mining crafts, for a discussion of the Fourth Doctor classic, The Robots of Death! Topics of discussion include hallucinogens, growing up with robots, and rich assholes.

The Cloister Room 117 - We Can Get Behind "A Wizard Did It"

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 20:09:38 +0000

Random chance brings Tom and Louis to the Celestial Toymaker's terrifying toyroom, where random chance is basically the only thing that's going on. Topics of discussion include George and Margaret, Dodo's loved ones, the curse of the Trilogic game, and racism.

The Cloister Room 116 - You're Stuck in the Hallway

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 18:22:45 +0000

Random wandering brings Tom and Louis to the point just before they began podcasting together--the two-part finale of the 2010 series, The Pandorica Opens and The Big Bang! Topics include the mysterious voice that says "Silence Will Fall," the Jim Carrey version of the Doctor, and the Sontaran's fashionable carrying accessories.

The Cloister Room 115 - Cup Pickup Here

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 17:00:00 +0000

Tom and Louis randomly arrive in the vast HD deserts of Dubai for a discussion of the David Tennant Easter-avaganza, Planet of the Dead. We won't give away what they thought of the story but let's just say the explicit tag was quickly earned. Topics of discussion also include Dalek pets and getaway drivers.

The Cloister Room 114 - It's All About The Model Shot

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 29 May 2015 00:59:00 +0000

Tom and Louis find their way through random wandering to the mysterious planet Ravalox for a discussion of The Mysterious Planet. Topics of discussion include double acts, the Doctor's presidency, and the ideal placement of audiovisual equipment in Gallifreyan courtrooms.

The Cloister Room 113 - Strange Mouth Sounds

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Thu, 21 May 2015 21:32:31 +0000

In their random wanderings, Tom and Louis are brought to the Power of Kroll, for a discussion of green body paint, CSO, ethical treatment of Swampies, and the career of Robert Holmes.

The Cloister Room 112 - No Chocolate Allowed On The Moon

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Thu, 14 May 2015 19:11:26 +0000

Tom and Louis continue their random journeys through the classic series with this discussion of the Jon Pertwee classic--Frontier in Space! After already having watched the second leg of this mega-epic, Planet of the Daleks. Topics include architecture, lady presidents, and the mind probe.

The Cloister Room 111 - The Opposite of Psychic Powers

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Thu, 07 May 2015 15:00:00 +0000

After an hiatus in the early months of 2015, Tom and Louis return to The Cloister Room! From here on out, new episodes will be posted weekly. This week we continue our random journey through Doctor Who by discussing The King's Demons! Topics of discussion include musical kings and Adric's ghost.

The Cloister Room 110 - Would You Like Me To Tide Their Blood?

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 02:08:17 +0000

This week Tom and Louis discuss the Shakespeare Code! Topics of discussion include the Harry Potter dating controversy, and the genius of the audience member.

The Cloister Room 109 - This is a Sacred Song

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 03:00:33 +0000

It's Christmas time! Well, okay, it's not. But at any rate it's time to listen to Tom and Louis discuss their reaction to the episode of Doctor Who that aired when it WAS Christmas time. Topics include dream crab family life and a certain special Christmas song. And it's not by Wham!

The Cloister Room 108 - Mayhem Has Merit

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Tue, 23 Dec 2014 22:04:44 +0000

It's almost Christmas and Santa Claus is coming to town, but surely it's not too late for us to finally release our episode on Death in Heaven? Topics of discussion include Cyberkid, LI Who 2, and personal pronouns.

The Cloister Room 107 - A Snake and then Eric Roberts

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 03:41:56 +0000

Part one of the two-part finale is here! Tom and Louis discuss Missy’s big reveal, the latest development on Danny, and lots, lots more.

The Cloister Room 106 - Zoo Tycoon

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 01 Nov 2014 16:56:51 +0000

As Series Eight hurtles toward its conclusion, Tom and Louis confer over the third-to-last episode. Topics of discussion include zoo management and the Doctor's brother.

The Cloister Room 105 - The Dimension Field is Leaking

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 25 Oct 2014 02:10:58 +0000

Series Eight rolls on and Tom and Louis roll on accordingly. In this, their discussion of flatline, topics include iPad bezels and evil geniuses.

The Cloister Room 104 - Actual Mummy Magic

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 18 Oct 2014 14:23:15 +0000

Another week, another new episode! Tom and Louis discuss Mummy on the Orient Express. Tom derails the discussion with spoilers for the Big Finish audio "The Boy That Time Forgot" (so, y'know, look out for that), and Louis has Train Beefs.

The Cloister Room 103 - Space Dragon Will Have to Do

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 04:43:45 +0000

Series Eight of Doctor Who continues with a trip to the moon. We talk about the Doctor's DVD collection, the US Presidency, and... well, the abortion thing. We talk about that.

The Cloister Room 102 - Geographical Spillage

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 04 Oct 2014 13:55:33 +0000

Halfway through the season! Tom and Louis discuss the latest episode, The Caretaker. Topics of discussion include the dietary habits of sand piranhas and the use of cherry bombs.

The Cloister Room 101 - That Box Has Been Well Ticked

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 14:29:38 +0000

Another week, another new episode of Doctor Who! We truly are spoiled. Tom and Louis take some time out to discuss whether the heist is sufficiently heisty.

The Cloister Room 100 - A Structurally Sound Barn

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 20 Sep 2014 03:28:36 +0000

It's the Cloister Room's one hundredth episode and Tom and Louis have one heck of an episode to discuss--Capaldi's latest adventure, "Listen." Topics of discussion include the ups and downs of future spacesuit fashion, and an important public service announcement for your health.

The Cloister Room 099 - Shoot the Arrow into a Thermal Exhaust Port

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 13 Sep 2014 02:51:23 +0000

Another week, another new episode! Louis and Tom talk about the Doctor's journey to Sherwood Forest. Topics of discussion include cuts and edits, swords and spoons.

The Cloister Room 098 - In That Case, On a Case by Case Basis, Whatever the Case May Be

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 06 Sep 2014 16:28:00 +0000

Louis and Tom discuss Capaldi's second big outing, and his first showdown against the Daleks. Topics of discussion include the two halves of fiction, tea in heaven, and soldiers.

The Cloister Room 097 - Pushing the Robot out the Flesh Blimp

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 29 Aug 2014 01:23:45 +0000

Louis and Tom set their random wanderings aside--Doctor Who is back on television! Obviously, this episode is about Capaldi's first outing as the new Dr. Who.

The Cloister Room 096 - An Experiment In Disguise Science

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 23 Aug 2014 05:02:04 +0000

It's the eve of Peter Capaldi's first big outing as the Doctor, but who cares about that? Random selection has brought Tom and Louis to an idyllic village in the country where the Rani is up to no good. Topics of discussion include barren philosophies and wild endeavours.

The Cloister Room 095 - Fire Extinguisher, Lost to Time

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 02:28:07 +0000

Random selection brings Tom and Louis to a spaceship, and also France. The origins of the Moffat era are uncovered, and the trials and tribulations of future spam filtering are discussed.

The Cloister Room 094 - Well, One Of Us Is Going To Have To Change

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 03:52:18 +0000

The whims of the randomizer bring Tom and Louis to one of 2013's recently rediscovered gems: The Enemy of the World. Louis has some less than entirely kind words about Fedorin, while Tom praises Salamander's efficient use of space.

The Cloister Room 093 - Recorder in Color

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 03:42:56 +0000

Random chance brings Tom and Louis to Doctor Who's tenth anniversary extravaganza, The Three Doctors. The origins of the Doctor's contempt for Twitter are explained, and we manage to hold things together through the force of our own will.

The Cloister Room 092 - Wake Up, Sheeple, Or Whatever

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 19 May 2014 02:53:10 +0000

Tom and Louis randomly arrive in the Big Finish neighborhood of the Doctor Who universe, to discuss the 2003 audio release "Davros." Louis raises questions about Davros's economic plan, and Tom peels back the layers of the Kaled scientist.

The Cloister Room 091 - The Axon Clause

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 12 May 2014 03:32:24 +0000

Random chance brings Tom and Louis to the seventies classic The Claws of Axos. Louis pitches the Pigbin Josh trilogy, and Tom brings us on tangents about Doctor Who story numbering conventions and acetaminophen poisoning.

The Cloister Room 090 - Please Hold, Your Screams Are Important To Us

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 03:50:28 +0000

A most random selection leads Tom and Louis to the planet Spiridon, where invisible creatures abound. Louis points out the Daleks’ apparent newfound cartographic advantage, and Tom proposes a new enemy for the Thals to face.

The Cloister Room 089 - How Rude of Me To Just Call Him Skull

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 01:37:57 +0000

The random selector brings Tom and Louis to season 15 of Doctor Who, to discuss rustic racism and glow skulls. Louis remarks on the Doctor's moral values, and Tom unpacks the implication of K-9's character arc in the serial.

The Cloister Room 088 - I Think He Was Based on a Lizard-Woman

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 07 Apr 2014 01:08:02 +0000

At long last, Tom and Louis convene to discuss the finale of Sherlock's third series. Louis points out how Sherlock literally kills two metaphorical birds with one metaphorical stone, and Tom brings up question relating to Sherlock Holmes's ties to the Doctor Who universe.

The Cloister Room 087 - You Would Do Well To Heed Me

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 31 Mar 2014 02:37:43 +0000

In a stunning feat of temporal ineptitude, the episode that should have been episode 85 is episode 87, and vice versa. Anyway. Tom and Louis are brought in their random wanderings to a Fourth Doctor classic, the Masque of Mandragora. Opinion is divided. But who will side with reason, and who will side with primitive superstition? Only one way to find out...

The Cloister Room 086 - Hacking Detected

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 10 Mar 2014 01:06:23 +0000

Tom and Louis resume their discussion of Sherlock's third series, and ponder the matrimonial mayhem of The Sign of Three. Louis ponders the telegrams, and Tom admires the computer skills on display in the episode's opening.

The Cloister Room 085 - The Shangri-La of Swimming Pools

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 23:45:19 +0000

Tom and Louis are randomly whisked away to the Seventh Doctor's era, picking up from their previous foray into Time and the Rani. Tom takes note of the punctuational music, and Louis wonders about Mel's appetite for cookies.

The Cloister Room 084 - Two-ish Years Minus Some Days

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 17:39:00 +0000

Seeing as this podcast is allegedly about "Doctor Who and other things", don't you think it's time we discussed some other thing? We do. So we discussed the first episode of BBC's third series of Sherlock.

The Cloister Room 083 - Wrath of the Quakers

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 23:00:00 +0000

Discussing Doctor Who: Wrath of the Iceni

The time winds of random selection take Tom and Louis over to the Big Finish corner of the Doctor Who universe, where they discuss the Fourth Doctor adventure The Wrath of the Iceni. It all devolves into an extended defense of the pure historical.

iTunes (subscribe, rate, and review)
RSS feed (if you’re some kind of fancypants)

The Cloister Room 082 - A Really Long and Tedious End User License Agreement

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Wed, 08 Jan 2014 03:07:00 +0000

Eleven's Hour is over now, the clock is striking Twelve's. At the risk of spoiling this episode, you might not want to listen to it if you're the kind of person who prefers constant sunshine and positivity.

The Cloister Room 081 - Trojan Fanfic OTP

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 30 Dec 2013 03:02:00 +0000

Louis and Tom discuss one of Doctor Who's lost gems of the Hartnell era, The Myth Makers, a pure historical set during the Trojan War. Louis takes note of the story's paradoxical leanings, while Tom struggles to remember that one class he took on Homeric literature.

The Cloister Room 080 - Who Knows?

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 16 Dec 2013 01:08:00 +0000

Louis and Tom explore Doctor Who's origins as they discuss An Adventure in Space and Time, and unravel the dozens of cameos in The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot.

The Cloister Room 079 - Insert John Hurt

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 15:12:00 +0000

The long-awaited Doctor Who anniversary special, The Day of the Doctor, has arrived, and Tom and Louis have convened to discuss it.

The Cloister Room 078 - Will It Hurt?

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 23 Nov 2013 14:25:00 +0000

Tom and Louis are too excited to randomize right now! Doctor Who's anniversary special is still a little under six hours away (as of this writing), but you can spend a little over one of those hours listening to Tom and Louis discuss Big Finish's anniversary special, The Light at the End, as well as Steven Moffat's little anniversary surprise for the fans, The Night of the Doctor starring Paul McGann!

The Cloister Room 077 - That's Never Platinum!

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 04:24:00 +0000

The whims of random selection bring Tom and Louis to a firey planet; a planet of fire. Tom digs deep into the linguistic nuances of one Perpugilliam Brown, while Louis marvels at the existence of Kamelion, a companion he's never heard of!

The Cloister Room 076 - This Beautiful Symphony of Martha

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 00:10:00 +0000

Tom and Louis are randomly brought to Doctor Who's fourth modern series for a discussion of the triumphant return of the Sontarans. Louis questions the warrior race's military supremacy, and Tom raises questions as to Martha's suitability for this story.

The Cloister Room 075 - That's True

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 00:37:00 +0000

A random selection brings Tom and Louis to The Ark, and then to The Ark again. That's just kind of how this works. Tom once again talks about how much he hates Dodo, and Louis points out how like a First Doctor story this First Doctor story is.

The Cloister Room 074 - He Likes It Venusian

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 01:31:49 +0000

The random selector brings Tom and Louis to the planet Peladon, for their first time and the Doctor's as well. The importance of the Ice Lords is discussed, and the merits of the delegate from Alpha Centauri are debated.

The Cloister Room 073 - This Is Something That Needs To Be Reconciled

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 21:38:11 +0000

As the world rejoices at the return of 9 lost Doctor Who episodes, Tom and Louis do not mention it at all, since this was recorded before that happened. Still, there's plenty of joy to be had as our podcasters are brought by random fate to the most thoroughly lost episode of Doctor Who ever to be half-finished: Shada! Tom engages in some blow-by-blow comparisons of Shada's many versions, while Louis has a bone to pick with K-9.

The Cloister Room 072 - You're My Favorite, Nyssa

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 02:09:06 +0000

Tom and Louis are randomly flown to a time long ago, for a discussion of Time-Flight, where Tegan is truly in her element. Louis draws connections to another, much more recent guy the Doctor had to thwart, and Tom comes up with a theory to narratively justify the Master's politically incorrect disguise.

The Cloister Room 071 - I Guess I Have To Call It Unobtanium

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 02:28:00 +0000

A random breeze carries Tom and Louis to a Colony in Space, where visitors may colonize or mine to their hearts' content. Louis questions the logic of the Master's plan, and Tom repeats vehicular details learned from the DVD release. Endless fun.

The Cloister Room 070 - All Bets Must Be Upheld

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 23 Sep 2013 02:50:00 +0000

This week, Tom and Louis randomly arrive on a street in victorian London, where a mysterious man claiming to be the Doctor is doing battle with some Cybermen and a villainess with unclear motivations. Tom objects to the production team's silly regeneration games, and Louis keeps pointing out, quite rightly, that it's Christmas.

The Cloister Room 069 - Magic Artist Powers

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 16 Sep 2013 04:04:00 +0000

This week, Tom and Louis are randomly brought to Provence for an encounter with one of history's most famous painters. Louis wonders about the Doctor's finances, and Tom suggests that Van Gogh may be working with Improv Everywhere. Also, tangents about Bill Nigh-hee, lichens, and Abraham Lincoln.

The Cloister Room 068 - Face It, Tegan, He's Drowned!

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 09 Sep 2013 00:08:00 +0000

This week, Tom and Louis's random wanderings bring them to a base under sea. Louis calls Turlough's suitability into question, while Tom admires Ingrid Pitt's dance moves. Should there have been another way?

The Cloister Room 067 - The Mutually Interlocked Angel Situation

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Tue, 03 Sep 2013 02:16:00 +0000

This week Tom and Louis are randomly brought to Wester Drumlins for an encounter with the Weeping Angels. This one's an all-time classic, so you probably shouldn't expect us to have much to complain about. Louis remembers when he first saw the episode, and laments a bygone era when Moffat's writing was precious. Tom manages to find two (2) things to complain about. Also: a mulligan and a Mulligan.

The Cloister Room 066 - Darren Is In My Personal Canon

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 21:52:15 +0000

This week's random selection brings Tom and Louis to a fan favorite: The Evil of the Daleks. Louis discovers the wonderful world of reconstructions, and Tom gets very excited about static and mirrors. Also, a minor tangent about crossover fanfiction!

The Cloister Room 065 - Now I Am Total Power.mp3

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 00:46:00 +0000

Tom and Louis, in their random wand'rings through time and space, were brought to the end of the Pertwee era for a discussion of Planet of the Spiders. Among the topics of discussion are world religions and terrible Two Legs acting--plus, a rather prescient remark from Tom (keep in mind that this was actually recorded prior to the announcement of Peter Capaldi's casting as the Doctor!).

The Cloister Room 064 - Dick Clark's New Doctor's Rockin' Eve

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sun, 11 Aug 2013 21:39:54 +0000

This week, on this very podcast, you can hear a couple of white guys talk about how excited they are about the new white guy who's playing the Doctor. The bizarre manner of the casting announcement is discussed, and Tom and Louis ostensibly discuss the first episode of The Thick of It, but actually don't.

The Cloister Room 063 - A Bird On The Head Is Worth Two In The Hand

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 05 Aug 2013 03:29:57 +0000

This week Tom and Louis's random story generator brings them to the show's twentieth season for a rendezvous with a Brig or two. Tom sings the praises of Paddy Kingsland's iconic driving theme, and Louis wonders what the deal is with all these Turloughs and Guardians and what have yous. And there is no discussion about Peter Capaldi, because this was recorded two weeks ago.

The Cloister Room 062 - Death, The Ultimate Experiment!

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 29 Jul 2013 02:30:10 +0000

Tom and Louis are randomly assigned the unenviable task of watching and discussing Time and The Rani, a story about which they make no attempts to hide their distaste. Tom laments Doctor Who's first major use of CG, and Louis explores the strangeness of strange matter. It's not a fun story, but hopefully it makes for a fun podcast?

The Cloister Room 061 - Moons Of Madness!

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 22 Jul 2013 01:55:26 +0000

Guided by the whims of a =RAND() function in an excel worksheet, Tom and Louis embark on a journey to the planet Calufrax to discuss the Douglas Adams classic, The Pirate Planet. Louis noticea a connection that brought out memories of Tom's earliest fandom, and David Bradley and other Davids are discussed.

The Cloister Room 060 -Bad Daleks

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 15 Jul 2013 00:37:01 +0000

Having finished their journey through Season 18 (and a little bit of Season 19), Tom and Louis randomize their viewing and wind up at the tail end of the Hartnell era, discussing the War Machines. Out of their element, Louis repeatedly mispronounced WOTAN and Tom gets Dodo's debut story wrong. Still, there is much to be discussed, from supply chaining to fourth wall breaking to Dodo's alleged death at the hands of history's greatest monster: syphilis.

The Cloister Room 059 - Your Regeneration And You

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 08 Jul 2013 03:34:14 +0000

Tom and Louis have finished Season 18, but there are loose ends which remain to be tied up, so they venture into Season 19 to discuss Castrovalva. Louis admires Nyssa's intensity, and Tom judges Master against Master.

The Cloister Room 058 - Airplane-Focused

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 01:25:19 +0000

It's been a long road, but Tom and Louis finally bring their discussion of Season Eighteen to a close with Logopolis, Tom Baker's final outing as the Doctor. Louis notes the TARDIS's interesting noises, and Tom wonders at the alien marvel of regeneration. All that and MORE!

The Cloister Room 057 - Nostalgia For Old Hatred

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 01:20:29 +0000

Tom and Louis met to discuss the overall quality of Doctor Who's seventh series, but were derailed briefly by a plague of missing episode rumors (skip to 18:44 if you don't want to hear about those). Tom waxed vitriolic about The Power of Three, while Louis appraised the season's worthiness as a farewell to Matt Smith. All this and tangents!

The Cloister Room 056 - Pretty Sweet Culture

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 21:26:19 +0000

With Tom and Louis continuing their discussion of Season 18, you'd think that this week's episode might be another short one. But you'd be wrong! Because not only do we spend a good amount of time discussing The Keeper of Traken, but starting at about 21:30, we discuss the announcement of Matt Smith's departure.

The Cloister Room 055 - The Lion Kings

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 01:45:00 +0000

Another short episode this week, as Tom and Louis continue their discussion of Doctor Who's eighteenth season with Warrior's Gate.

The Cloister Room 054 - Evil Vampire People

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 02:58:00 +0000

Tom and Louis returned to Season 18 to discuss State of Decay. The episode is short, so the episode description shall follow suit.

The Cloister Room 053 - He Is The Railyard

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sun, 26 May 2013 17:27:57 +0000

With another season over and done, Tom and Louis met to discuss the events in The Name of the Doctor, and their potential ramifications. As Tom trotted out a list of six theories, Louis fretted about the absence of the Eighth Doctor. And as usual, the 50th anniversary is discussed.

The Cloister Room 052 - Gollum Style

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 18 May 2013 17:32:00 +0000

After the penultimate episode of series seven, Nightmare in Silver, Louis guided Tom through a therapeutic reconstruction of the plot, and the two of them share predictions about what will happen in The Name of the Doctor.

The Cloister Room 051 - Doctor Who Eye Thing

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 11 May 2013 14:03:24 +0000

Another new episode of Doctor Who has aired, and Tom and Louis greet it with much enthusiasm (although one of them has considerably more enthusiasm than the other). Tom shares a new theory about Clara’s mystery, and Louis identifies a connection to Fringe. Plus, we talk about the 50th Anniversary special. Again.

The Cloister Room 050 - Stuck On A Stone / I've Seen Your Name

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sun, 05 May 2013 16:43:00 +0000

Well, here we are, at an arbitrary numerical milestone. Fifty episodes. Did you ever think we’d make it this far? It only took us three years. But here we are at last. And to celebrate, Tom and Louis sat down for an extra-jam-packed episode, discussing NOT ONLY Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS, but also The Five Doctors! Wow! Incidentally, if you don’t care at all about our discussion of The Five Doctors, you can just skip ahead to 32 minutes in.

The Cloister Room 049 - Hot Pockets

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Wed, 01 May 2013 03:02:41 +0000

Tom and Louis gather once again to discuss the most recent episode of Doctor Who. Well, the most recent from their perspective, not yours. Wibbly wobbly. Okay, listen. This episode is about “Hide.” Yes, “Journey to the Center of the TARDIS” has already aired, but we’re doing “Hide,” so sit down and deal with it. Also, this is our forty-ninth episode... it looks like an arbitrary milestone is soon to be upon us!

The Cloister Room 048 - The HADS Is, Not The HADS Are

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 15:37:34 +0000

For the third consecutive week, that mysterious traveler in time and space known only as the Doctor has returned to our screens, and this time he’s brought us to the North Pole for an encounter with one of his oldest and deadliest foes. Meanwhile, Tom has been monitoring the Twitterverse for some kind of fan consensus on the current season of Doctor Who, and Louis laments the lack of discipline in the Soviet Navy. And while all this is going on, the classic Doctors all enjoy a leisurely afternoon in the Shire.

The Cloister Room 047 - Magic Songs Are Her Bit

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 17:04:07 +0000

Another week, another new episode of Doctor Who. This time around, The Rings of Akhaten brings Tom to a moment of personal crisis, while Louis finds himself moved to reminisce about Worlds of Warcraft gone by. The two intrepid podcasters face their most daunting challenge ever: a pronunciation conundrum. Plus: we puzzle over Zygon plots and aging Doctors.

The Cloister Room 046 - For The Win!

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 16:17:51 +0000

A new series of Doctor Who is upon us, so—oh, wait, it’s not a new season, it’s just... more of the previous season? I guess? So, Tom and Louis discuss the first—d’oh, I mean sixth, or maybe seventh, I dunno—episode of the current series and discuss their thoughts on the series’ current direction, while speculating pointlessly about what will happen next. Plus, the 50th anniversary casting bombshell is discussed, Louis wonders about River’s history with the Tenth Doctor, and Tom misremembers the ending of The Web of Fear. Where else can you get such scintillating discussion about Doctor Who? Possibly somewhere, I guess, if you look around, but there is no need to look around because a new episode of THE CLOISTER ROOM is right before your eyes! And ears.

The Cloister Room 045 - Cloud Storage

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 00:57:35 +0000

Tom and Louis return from what can only be described as an extended retirement to deliver their long (long, long) overdue review of Doctor Who’s 2012 Christmas extravaganza, “The Snowmen.” Along the way they discuss K-9, Sherlock, and other bizarre tangents.

The Cloister Room 044 - Agricultural Angels

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 04:39:00 +0000

Tom and Louis return with their much-delayed review of The Angels Take Manhattan, as well as some general thoughts on the first half of Doctor Who’s seventh series.

The Cloister Room 043 - Random Bits of Thing

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 18:49:28 +0000

It’s yet another episode of The Cloister Room! Tom and Louis discuss the ups and downs of The Power of Three, and get drawn off on a long tangent about who is fit to run Doctor Who when Moffat eventually steps down.

The Cloister Room 042 - I Was Expecting Steampunk

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 18:59:15 +0000

Doctor Who is back again for the third week running! We’re getting spoiled, aren’t we? In any case, Tom and Louis have turned their attention toward “A Town Called Mercy.”

The Cloister Room 041 - The Hexagonal Ball Standard

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 03:52:58 +0000

While Tom is entranced with by the Dinosaurs (ON A SPACESHIP!), Louis has numerous grievances to air. Topics of discussion include unlikely coincidences, action figures, and Dazzler. Spoilers abound.

The Cloister Room 040 - Wh-Wha? What's-Its-It-Uh-Wha? What's Going On?

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 03:22:47 +0000

New Doctor Who has arrived, and with it, it has brought every Dalek ever. Oh, and one massive, confusing, exciting surprise. Which is the source of our titular confusion. Join Tom and Louis for some head scratching. There are, of course, spoilers for Asylum of the Daleks. Which is the episode we're discussing.

The Cloister Room 039 - The Most Boring of Pseudoscience

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 01:51:23 +0000

Before Doctor Who series seven begins, Tom and Loius briefly resume their discussion of Doctor Who’s eighteenth season. Teenagers, large numbers, and cruelty to doves—you know it’s gotta be Full Circle!

The Cloister Room 038 - No Hounds Were Harmed

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 22:05:20 +0000

After an extended absence, Tom and Louis return to discuss the second series of that OTHER Moffat show, Sherlock.

The Cloister Room 037 - Does HE know about IT?

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Thu, 10 May 2012 23:33:51 +0000

Hey! It's Tom and Louis discussing the early episodes of Awake. Just in time for... the late episodes for Awake.

You're judging us. Stop judging us.

The Cloister Room 036 - They Don't Humanize the Human

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 01:19:40 +0000

This week Tom and Louis continue their journey through Season 18 with a chat about the classic story Meglos. Digressions occur.

The Cloister Room 035 - Such Was JJ Abrams' Hubris

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 02:19:00 +0000

Tom and Louis discuss recent developments on Fringe. Well, recent-ish. It might be two episodes past its sell-by date, but we guarantee it still tastes oh so good.

The Cloister Room 034 - Write That Down in Your Copybook Now

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 21:24:00 +0000

This week on The Cloister Room, Tom and Louis begin watching experiencing the Bidmead era of Doctor Who. That’s right, it’s 1980 all over again, and we’re watching Season Eighteen.

This week, we explore the finer points of Tachyon Image Generation for a discussion of The Leisure Hive.

The Cloister Room 033 - Intense Digesting Action

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:15:51 +0000

This week on the Cloister Room, Tom and Louis awaken from a long winter's nap to discuss the Doctor, the Widow, and the Wardrobe, and chat a bit about Doctor Who's future.

The Cloister Room 032 - Intelligent Slop

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:56:06 +0000

This week on The Cloister Room, Tom and Louis reminisce on the brilliance of Series Six of Doctor Who (as well as some of the less brilliant parts). Also, they talk about the first couple episodes of Fox's new show Terra Nova, and throw in some discussion of the current season of Fringe and some cursory discussion of a couple other science fiction shows. Please note: the last couple of minutes contain vague spoilers for the end of Battlestar Galactica.

The Cloister Room 031 - "What Have We Learned Today?"

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 01:32:51 +0000

This week on The Cloister Room, Tom and Louis unpack the myriad implications of the Wedding of River Song. What they find may surprise you. Also: they talk about nothing else.

Tom's recap of The Wedding of River Song on The Faster Times:

http://www.thefastertimes.com/tvrecapsandnews/2011/10/02/doctor-who-series-6-finale-recap-facing-death-or-faking-death/

The Cloister Room 030 - Giant Amy Pond Face

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 15:37:23 +0000

This week on The Cloister Room, Louis and Tom explore the depths of the department store in Closing Time, and what they find my surprise you. And they travel through time and alternate dimensions to bring you some contentious discussion on the end of Fringe's third season and the beginning of its fourth.

Tom's recap of Closing Time on The Faster Times:

http://www.thefastertimes.com/tvrecapsandnews/2011/09/24/doctor-who-recap-series-6-episode-12-talk-baby-to-me/

The Cloister Room 029 - I'm Sorry I Killed You, Peter Davison!

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 15:11:33 +0000

This week Tom and Louis examine the God Complex and uncover the truth about the Doctor's greatest fear. The answer may surprise you. Also, Louis is right. Then, they FINALLY finish the first season of Eighth Doctor Adventures by discussing Human Resources.

Tom's recap of The God Complex on The Faster Times

http://www.thefastertimes.com/tvrecapsandnews/2011/09/17/doctor-who-recap-series-6-episode-11-fear-and-faith/

The Cloister Room 028 - How They Frict

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 04:19:55 +0000

This week Tom and Louis take on Doctor Who: "The Girl Who Waited," and attempt to unravel the potent psychological metaphor of the green anchor and the red waterfall. Tom picks on Louis a lot. Like, more than usual. And then they talk about Torchwood: Miracle Day, which is now done.

Tom's recaps at The Faster Times:

Doctor Who: "The Girl Who Waited"

http://www.thefastertimes.com/tvrecapsandnews/2011/09/11/doctor-who-recap-series-6-episode-10-rorys-choice/

Torchwood: Miracle Day: "The Blood Line"

http://www.thefastertimes.com/tvrecapsandnews/2011/09/10/torchwood-miracle-day-recap-episode-10-playing-the-field/

The Cloister Room 027 - Please Fix Our Financial Troubles

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 03:20:00 +0000

The Cloister Room 027 - Please Fix Our Financial Troubles

This week Tom and Louis discuss Doctor Who: "Night Terrors", and propose potential solutions to the financial issues raised (but never addressed) in the universe. And even though they're a bit frustrated by Torchwood: Miracle Day, they have a few things to say about the latest episode, "The Gathering."

TOM'S SHAMELESS PLUGS:

Recap/Review of Doctor Who: "Night Terrors" for The Faster Times

http://www.thefastertimes.com/tvrecapsandnews/2011/09/04/doctor-who-recap-series-6-episode-9-the-cupboard-revisited/

Recap/Review of Torchwood: Miracle Day: "The Gathering" for The Faster Times

http://www.thefastertimes.com/tvrecapsandnews/2011/09/03/torchwood-miracle-day-recap-episode-bland-canyon/

LOUIS'S SHAMELESS PLUGS:

The poor man still has none.

RELEVANT LINKS:

http://www.zefrank.com/sandwich/tool.html

http://feelinglistless.blogspot.com/2011/09/doctor-couldnt-die-when-hes-supposed-to.html

The Cloister Room 026 - Clearly I Am Not A Farmer

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 20:01:00 +0000

Doctor Who is back on our screens and in our hearts. Tom and Louis discuss "Let's Kill Hitler" and there's plenty of baseless speculation to go around. Plus, now that Tom is caught up on Torchwood: Miracle Day, he and Louis discuss the latest developments in that area.

TOM'S SHAMELESS PLUGS:

Recap/Review of "Let's Kill Hitler" for The Faster Times: http://www.thefastertimes.com/tvrecapsandnews/2011/08/27/doctor-who-recap-series-6-episode-8-putting-hitler-in-the-cupboard/

Tumblog (featuring Classic Who tumblin'): http://nowwearealltom.tumblr.com

LOUIS'S SHAMELESS PLUGS

He doesn't have any. What's up with that guy?

The Cloister Room 025 - A Storm-at-the-Heart-of-the-Sun Kind Of Guy

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 04:08:00 +0000

The Cloister Room returns from its inexcusable hiatus to stumble through some thoughts on Torchwood: Miracle May, and speculate wildly (and baselessly) about what's to come on Doctor Who when it returns this weekend.

The Cloister Room 024 - Riverlation

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 16:50:59 +0000

The Cloister Room's semi-edited discussions of Doctor Who series six come to s close until "late summer" as Tom and Louis find out what happens when a Good Man Goes to War and scratch their heads a bit trying to fit all the pieces together and guess where this is all heading. Plus, a little discussion about the futures of Doctor Who and Torchwood.

Come back next week for our oft-delayed discussion of Trial of a Time Lord!

The Cloister Room 023 - The Eyes Say Why

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 16:14:14 +0000

This week our slightly edited discussion of Doctor Who is coming to you a bit late. Before watching A Good Man Goes To War, Tom and Louis discussed the two-part story The Rebel Flesh and The Almost People. That discussion is now yours, courtesy of the magic of podcasting.

Our thoughts on A Good Man Goes to War and the first half of series six as a whole will (hopefully) arrive in your ears before too long.

The Cloister Room 022: Sexy

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 21 May 2011 20:04:00 +0000

Do you want more unedited discussion about Doctor Who and other things? Well. You can have that. You're welcome.

This week Tom and Louis discuss The Doctor's wife, and talk a bit about upcoming fall television programs (following up on the discussion in episode 018).

Here are some relevant links:

http://quarridors.tumblr.com/post/5579798087/as-much-as-i-loved-the-doctors-wife-the-tardis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_50wn4WeNBs

The Cloister Room 021: Damned Spot

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 14 May 2011 15:12:00 +0000

The unedited ramblings about series six continue. This week Tom gets a little too interested in the urination situation on board the TARDIS, and Louis tries desperately to deny the death of the Zune, as they discuss Doctor Who: The Curse of the Black Spot.

The Cloister Room 020: Crazyguy and Creepyhouse

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 07 May 2011 14:03:00 +0000

Tom and Louis continue their sparsely edited discussions about series six. This week Tom gripes about how he disliked Day of the Moon. Louis barely gets a word in edgewise, as is customary.

Complete with factual inaccuracies regarding changes in this series's episode order, numerous difficulties with Silent/Silents/Silence, and baseless speculation!

The Cloister Room 019: The Impossible Astronaut

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 01:00:22 +0000

The Cloister Room is going weekly, by hook or by crook. These episodes will be less polished, but they will certainly be timely. Here's our discussion of The Impossible Astronaut. Spoilers ahead.

My brain is broken and I simply could not think of a good title for this episode. Figured I'd steal the one Moffat used.

The Cloister Room 018 - Drugs, Not Gloves

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 02:54:00 +0000

You've managed to acquire The Cloister Room 018, "Drugs, Not Gloves." We talk not only about the classic William Hartnell story "The Daleks," but also about the Peter Cushing film adaptation, "Dr. Who and the Daleks." It's all very exciting. We also talk about the news on some upcoming new television projects. Some of this news is a little outdated by now because it's been so long since we recorded it.

Next week, we'll be doing an all Doctor Who episode, talking about "Trial of a Time Lord: Mind Warp," and two Big Finish Eighth Doctor episodes, "Phobos" and "No More Lies." All this plus the latest Doctor Who news!

Topics:

00:00-01:14 - Introduction

01:15-17:36 - The Daleks, and Dr. Who and the Daleks

17:37-35:56 - Upcoming television projects

35:57-36:38 - Outroduction

The Cloister Room 017 - Robots? Clones? Robot Clones

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:31:28 +0000

How do you do? Allow me to introduce you to The Cloister Room episode 017, "Robots? Clones? Robot Clones?" On it, we have much to say about the third and fourth episodes of Big Finish's Eighth Doctor Adventures series, "The Horror of Glam Rock" and "Immortal Beloved." We then have some rather heated discussion about the last few episodes of Caprica.

Next week, we'll be looking at the classic William Hartnell story "The Daleks," and the Peter Cushing film adaptation, "Dr. Who and the Daleks." We'll also talk about the news on some upcoming new television projects.

Be sure to let us know what you think of the podcast, by commenting here on this post, leaving an @ reply for @TheCloisterRoom on Twitter, or by e-mail at thecloisterroom@gmail.com.

Topics:

00:00-02:28 - Introduction

02:29-16:11 - Doctor Who: Eighth Doctor Adventures: The Horror of Glam Rock and Immortal Beloved

16:12-32:48 - Caprica - final episodes (spoilers)

32:49-35:26 - Outroduction

The Cloister Room 016 - Lashing the Time Away

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 03:00:53 +0000

Here is The Cloister Room episode 016. It is about the Sixth Doctor story "Timelash!" And also about the film "Tron Legacy," as well as our usual sort of tangents and sarcastic rambling.

Hope you enjoy the episode!

Be sure to let us know what you think of the podcast, by commenting here on this post, leaving an @ reply for @TheCloisterRoom on Twitter, or by e-mail at thecloisterroom@gmail.com.

00:00-01:12 - Intro

01:13-15:06 - Discussion of Doctor Who: Timelash

15:07-30:24 - Discussion of Tron: Legacy

30:25-32:31 - Outro

The Cloister Room 015 - Zombies Are The Greatest Teachers

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 03:54:48 +0000

It's The Cloister Room episode 015. And this isn't just any episode. it's the perennially delayed ZOMBIE EPISODE!

In this one, we talk about the "zombies" in The Unquiet Dead (and have some difficulty relating the episode to the theme), then talk about the Star Wars novel Death Troopers and the recent first season of AMC's The Walking Dead.

Next time, we'll be discussing the oft-maligned Timelash!

Be sure to let us know what you think of the podcast, by commenting here on this post, leaving an @ reply for @TheCloisterRoom on Twitter, or by e-mail at thecloisterroom@gmail.com.

Show Topics:

00:00-01:48 - Intro

01:49-07:18 - The Unquiet Dead

07:19-19:43 - Star Wars: Death Troopers (some spoilers)

19:44-26:15 - The Walking Dead, season 1 (some spoilers)

26:16-27:39 - Outro

The Cloister Room 014 - Shark of Wonder, Shark of Light

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 03:42:00 +0000

It's The Cloister Room episode 014!

We talk about Doctor Who: A Christmas Carol and do a commentary. Well, not a REAL commentary. We only do a commentary of the trailer for series six.

Next week will be our oft-delayed zombiesode.

Be sure to let us know what you think of the podcast, by commenting here on this post, leaving an @ reply for @TheCloisterRoom on Twitter, or by e-mail at thecloisterroom@gmail.com.

Show Topics:

00:00-01:27 - Intro

01:28-21:38 - Discussion of A Christmas Carol

21:39-25:40 - Series Six trailer discussion and commentary

25:41-end - Outro

The Cloister Room 013 - The Sleeper Has Awakened

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 17:39:00 +0000

Ow! It's the lucky Thirteenth episode of The Cloister Room, a podcast about Doctor Who and other things. This episode is coming at you a bit late, as you'll soon learn if you give it a listen.

This week, the "Doctor Who" is the Matt Smith story "Amy's Choice". The "Other Things" are Sarah Jane Adventures: "Death of the Doctor" and the Battlestar Galactica franchise.

Next week, we'll be talking about ZOMBIES!

Be sure to let us know what you think of the podcast, by commenting here on this post, leaving an @ reply for @TheCloisterRoom on Twitter, or by e-mail at thecloisterroom@gmail.com.

SHOW TOPICS:

02:17-02:18 - Intro

02:19-14:05 - Discussion of Doctor Who: "Amy's Choice"

14:06-16:30 - Discussion of The Sarah Jane Adventures: "Death of the Doctor"

16:31-19:24 - The number 507

19:25-20:32 - THE FUTURE

20:33-32:29 - The Battlestar spin-offs ("Caprica", "Blood and Chrome")

32:20-35:25 - Outro

The Cloister Room 012b - Interlude

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 02:46:00 +0000

We'll be back soon with a REAL new episode. This episode is just meant to explain our recent absence, and also provide a bit of light amusement without any real substance.

The Cloister Room 012 - Poor Doctor

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 01:22:48 +0000

Eh? It's the Twelfth episode of The Cloister Room, a podcast about Doctor Who and other things.

This week, the "Doctor Who" is the David Tennant story "Midnight". Aaaaand no "Other Things."

Next week, we'll be talking about the Eleventh Doctor story "Amy's Choice". The week after that we'll be talking about.... ZOMBIES!

Be sure to let us know what you think of the podcast, by commenting here on this post, leaving an @ reply for @TheCloisterRoom on Twitter, or by e-mail at thecloisterroom@gmail.com.

SHOW TOPICS:

00:00-01:48 - Intro

01:49-06:50 - Feedback on "Dalek"

06:51-24:03 - Discussion of "Midnight"

24:04-27:23 - What's coming up

27:24-28:47 - Outro

The Cloister Room 011 - Poor Daleks (again)

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 01:47:11 +0000

Oh! It's the eleventh episode of The Cloister Room, a podcast about Doctor Who and other things.

This week, the "Doctor Who" is the Christopher Eccleston story "Dalek". Aaaaand no "Other Things."

Next week, we'll be talking about the Tenth Doctor story "Midnight". The week after that we'll be talking about an Eleventh Doctor story... of your choosing!

Comment here on this post, or leave an @ reply for @TheCloisterRoom on Twitter telling us which we should discuss.

Oh, and be sure to let us know what you think of the podcast, through either of those ways or by e-mail at thecloisterroom@gmail.com.

Show topics:

00:00-01:27 - Intro

01:28-17:01 - "Dalek" discussion

17:02-19:40 - Next week: "Midnight"!

19:41-21:18 - Conclusion

The Cloister Room 010 - Poor Daleks

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 00:58:00 +0000

Huh. It's the tenth episode of The Cloister Room, a podcast about Doctor Who and other things.

This week, the "Doctor Who" is "Blood of the Daleks," a two-part Big Finish audio play featuring Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor. The "Other Things" refers to Firefly!

Next week, we'll be talking about the Ninth Doctor story "Dalek." The week after that we'll be talking about a Tenth Doctor story... of your choosing!

Comment here on this post, or leave an @ reply for @TheCloisterRoom on Twitter telling us which we should discuss.

Oh, and be sure to let us know what you think of the podcast, through either of those ways or by e-mail at thecloisterroom@gmail.com.

Topics covered:

00:00-03:32 - Introduction

03:33-09:43 - Blood of the Daleks

09:44-10:55 - Next week

10:56-13:13 - News

13:14-24:45 - Firefly

24:46-end - Outroduction

The Cloister Room 009 - Happy (Half) Hour

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 23:43:00 +0000

OOOH! It's the Ninth episode of The Cloister Room, a podcast about Doctor Who and other things.

This week, the "Doctor Who" is Sylvester McCoy's "The Happiness Patrol." The "Other Things" are The Event and Undercovers!

Next week, we'll be talking about "Blood of the Daleks," a two-part Big Finish audio play featuring Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor. The week after that we'll be talking about a Ninth Doctor story... of your choosing!

Comment here on this post, or leave an @ reply for @TheCloisterRoom on Twitter telling us which we should discuss.

Oh, and be sure to let us know what you think of the podcast, through either of those ways or by e-mail at thecloisterroom@gmail.com.

Show topics:

00:00-01:43 - Introduction

01:44-09:28 - Discussion of Doctor Who: The Happiness Patrol

09:29-12:34 - The FUTURE

12:35-19:07 - Discussion of The Event series premiere (some spoilers)

19:08-26:18 - Discussion of Undercovers series premiere (some spoilers) and an "Odd Jobs" tangent

26:19-27:31 - Conclusion

The Cloister Room 008: Cryon, You Crazy Diamond Thief

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 23:04:47 +0000

WHEEEE! It's the Eighth episode of The Cloister Room, a podcast about Doctor Who and other things.

This week, the "Doctor Who" is Colin Baker's "Attack of the Cybermen. The "Other Things" are Fringe! Well, I guess that would be an "Other Thing" singular.

Next week, we'll be talking about "The Happiness Patrol," featuring Sylvester McCoy as the Seventh Doctor. The week after that we'll be talking about an Eighth Doctor story... of your choosing! But wait! Wasn't there only one Eighth Doctor story? Well, we're throwing Big Finish's "Blood of the Daleks" into the mix, just to make things interesting. Comment here on this post, or leave an @ reply for @TheCloisterRoom on Twitter telling us which we should discuss.

Oh, and be sure to let us know what you think of the podcast, through either of those ways or by e-mail at thecloisterroom@gmail.com.

Show topics:

00:00-01:18 - Introduction

01:19-17:34 - Listener Feedback and "Attack of the Cybermen"

17:35-21:23 - Next Week

21:24-24:15 - Karen Gillan's tragic life

24:16-29:56 - Fringe season three premiere (spoilers!)

29:57-end - Outroduction

By the way, this week we mentioned TachyonTV's "Paula Moore" song. You can hear it and many other amusing TachyonTV song parodies On "TachyonTV the Album." It's the third song in the compilation!

The Cloister Room 007: The Spectrox Must Flow

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 00:40:35 +0000

WHAAAT? It's the seventh episode of The Cloister Room, a podcast about Doctor Who and other things.

This week, the "Doctor Who" is Peter Davison's swan song, "The Caves of Androzani." The "Other Things" are Buffy and Angel!

Next week, we'll be talking about "Attack of the Cybermen," featuring Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor. The week after that we'll be talking about a Seventh Doctor story... of your choosing! Comment here on this post, or leave an @ reply for @TheCloisterRoom on Twitter telling us which Seventh Doctor story we should discuss. Stories not on DVD are fine!

Oh, and be sure to let us know what you think of the podcast, through either of those ways or by e-mail at thecloisterroom@gmail.com.

SHOW TOPICS

00:00-01:08 - Introduction

01:09-13:01 - Discussion of "The Caves of Androzani"

13:02-16:37 - What's up next week?

16:38-22:23 - Discussion of Buffy and Angel (only the vaguest and most minor of spoilers)

22:24-end - Outroduction

The Cloister Room 006: Telecom of the Daleks

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 01:24:47 +0000

Whoa! It's the fifth episode of The Cloister Room, a podcast about Doctor Who and other things.

This week, the "Doctor Who" is the Tom Baker story "Genesis of the Daleks." The "Other Things" include The Sarah Jane Adventures and Caprica!

Next week, we'll be talking about "Caves of Androzani," featuring Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor. The week after that we'll be talking about a Sixth Doctor story... of your choosing! Comment here on this post, or leave an @ reply for @TheCloisterRoom on Twitter telling us which Sixth Doctor story we should discuss. Stories not on DVD are fine! Not that it matters, since all of Colin's stories are out on DVD. But it's the principle that matters. Also note: Trial of a Time Lord counts as four stories, so you can't vote for it!

Oh, and be sure to let us know what you think of the podcast, through either of those ways or by e-mail at thecloisterroom@gmail.com.

SHOW TOPICS

00:00-01:24 - Intro

01:25-07:19 - Genesis of the Daleks discussion

07:20-13:36 - Tom Baker discussion

13:37-15:20 - Sarah Jane and Harry

15:21-19:50 - The Sarah Jane Adventures (no spoilers here!)

19:51-23:47 - Caprica (no spoilers here!)

23:48-25:09 - Sonic Wiimote

25:10-26:57 - What's next?

26:58-28:53 - Outro

The Cloister Room 005: Drill, Baby, Drill!

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 02:17:40 +0000

Hey! It's the fifth episode of the new Cloister Room podcast, a podcast about Doctor Who and other things. I say "new," but we're five episodes in. So maybe I'll stop calling it that now.

This week, the "Doctor Who" is the Jon Pertwee story "Inferno." The "Other Things" include The Walking Dead, Avatar, Lost, Fringe, and some obscure game Louis likes!

Next week, we'll be talking about "Genesis of the Daleks," featuring Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor. The week after that we'll be talking about a Fifth Doctor story... of your choosing! Comment here on this post, or leave an @ reply for @TheCloisterRoom on Twitter telling us which Fourth Doctor story we should discuss. Stories not on DVD are fine!

Oh, and be sure to let us know what you think of the podcast, through either of those ways or by e-mail at thecloisterroom@gmail.com.

SHOW TOPICS:

(00:00 - 01:25) Intro

(01:26 - 06:07) The Third Doctor Era

(06:08 - 12:22) Inferno

(12:23 - 13:43) What's next?

(13:44 - 19:00) Avatar re-release (spoilers!)

(19:01 - 22:56) Trailers for AMC's The Walking Dead

(22:57 - 26:57) Lost: The New Man in Charge DVD extra (spoilers!)

(26:51 - 29:09) TV spots for FOX's Fringe (spoilers for season 2 finale!)

(29:10 - 30:14) Outro

The Cloister Room 004: The War Games, Now in the App Store

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 01:37:08 +0000

Hey! It's the fourth episode of the new Cloister Room podcast, a podcast about Doctor Who and other things.

This week, the "Doctor Who" is the Patrick Troughton story "The War Games." The "Other Things" include Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, James Cameron's Avatar, and even more discussion of Disney movies on VHS!

Next week, we'll be talking about "Inferno," featuring Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor. The week after that we'll be talking about a Fourth Doctor story... of your choosing! Comment here on this post, or leave an @ reply for @TheCloisterRoom on Twitter telling us which Fourth Doctor story we should discuss. Stories not on DVD are fine!

Oh, and be sure to let us know what you think of the podcast, through either of those ways or by e-mail at thecloisterroom@gmail.com.

Show topics:

00:00 - 01:14 - Intro

01:15 - 05:55 - Split Season 6/7 and Eighth Doctor news

05:56 - 11:18 - The War Games discussion

11:19 - 14:42 - More War Games

14:43 - 18:26 - Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (no spoilers!)

18:27 - 20:29 - Theatrical re-release of Avatar

20:30 - 23:16 - Avatar 2?

23:17 - 25:37 - Announcement of Third Doctor story, call for Fourth Doctor votes

25:38 - end - Conclusion.

The Cloister Room 003: This is my Sacrifice Face

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 23:48:00 +0000

It's the third episode of the new Cloister Room podcast, a podcast about Doctor Who and other things. This week, the "Doctor Who" is the William Hartnell story "The Aztecs." Get your sacrifice face on. The "Other Things" include Torchwood, Caprica, Battlestar Galactica, The Legend of Zelda, and even the upcoming Eric Roberts vehicle "Sharktopus!"

Next week, we'll be talking about "The War Games," featuring Patrick Troughton as the Second Doctor. The week after that we'll be talking about a Third Doctor story... of your choosing! Comment here on this post, or leave an @ reply for @TheCloisterRoom on Twitter telling us which Third Doctor story we should discuss. Stories not on DVD are fine!

Oh, and be sure to let us know what you think of the podcast, through either of those ways or by e-mail at thecloisterroom@gmail.com.

Show topics:

00:00-01:27 - Intro

01:28-09:11 - The Aztecs

09:12-11:47 - Next week: The War Games! (and other banter)

11:48-14:04 - Torchwood: The New World (spoilers, if you don't want to hear about the character descriptions published by Starz)

14:05-17:22 - Third episode of the Doctor Who Adventure Game announced! BUT...

17:23-21:16 - ...IS IT CANON?

21:17-27:23 - Caprica finale discussion

27:24-30:37 - Battlestar Webisodes (and "finding the fun" in the Battlestar-verse)

30:38-32:29 - The future of Caprica

32:30 - end - Outroduction

The Cloister Room 002: An Unearthly Bald White Guy

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 23:19:00 +0000

It's the second episode of the new Cloister Room podcast, a podcast about Doctor Who and other things. This week, the "Doctor Who" is the very first episode of Doctor Who, "An Unearthly Child. The "Other Things" include VHS tapes, Sherlock, Tron, And a slew upcoming TV shows! If four a slew? If so it's a slew.

Next week, we'll be talking about "The Aztecs," featuring William Hartnell as the First Doctor. The week after that we'll be talking about a Second Doctor story... of your choosing! Comment here on this post, or leave an @ reply for @TheCloisterRoom on Twitter telling us which Second Doctor story we should discuss. Stories not on DVD are fine, but no stories with missing episodes are out. Sorry, I know that rules out a lot of great stuff, but we want to WATCH this and then discuss it.

Oh, and be sure to let us know what you think of the podcast, through either of those ways or by e-mail at thecloisterroom@gmail.com.

Show topics:

00:00 - 01:25 - Introduction
01:26 - 04:33 - Billy fluffs, and general classic series chatter.
04:44 - 12:57 - An Unearthly Child discussion
12:58 - 15:43 - Pre-discussing The Aztecs... and a tangent about the merits of the VHS format.
15:44 - 16:50 - Doctor Who news - Soundtrack albums announced, and non-spoilery, months-old casting info on the Christmas specials.
16:51 - 19:23 - Sherlock discusssion [SPOILERS for episode 3]
19:24 - 20:53 - The future of Sherlock, in the UK and US
20:54 - 28:58 - Upcoming fall TV shows in the US [see below for links]
28:59 - 33:42 - Tron and Tron Legacy [no spoilers for either]
33:44 - end - Outroduction

Trailers:

The Event: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4vumb8J-x8
The Cape: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYfJSZZpia0
Undercovers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIDRG1edDpg
No Ordinary Family: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mDukZLfuz0

The Cloister Room Episode 001 (8 August 2010)

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 23:22:00 +0000

Welcome to the first episode of the new Cloister Room podcast, a podcast about Doctor Who and other things. This week, the "Doctor Who" is series Five, and the "Other Things" are Torchwood, Caprica, Inception, Sherlock, and Lost! And more! Well, not MUCH more, but a LITTLE more.

Next week, we'll be talking about An Unearthly child, and the week after that we'll be talking about another First Doctor story... of your choosing! Comment here on this post, or leave an @ reply for @TheCloisterRoom on Twitter telling us which First Doctor story we should discuss (other than An Unearthly Child, of course).

Oh, and be sure to let us know what you think of the podcast, through either of those ways or by e-mail at thecloisterroom@gmail.com.

Show topics:

00:00-03:27 - Introduction
03:28-07:46 - Who is the mysterious voice in "The Pandorica Opens?"
07:47-11:52 - General Series Five Reactions
11:53-14:04 - BREAKING NEWS: MATT SMITH FIRED! REALLY!
14:05-16:36 - Torchwood: The New World
16:37-18:01 - More on Torchwood... and on Caprica.
18:02-22:14 - Inception (spoilers for ending)
22:15-27:25 - Sherlock (first two episodes, no explicit spoilers)
27:26-34:01 - Lost finale discussion (spoilers, of course)
34:02-end - Outroduction

TCR 012: The FOX Factor

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 20:52:00 +0000

This week, it's a slightly abbreviated Cloister Room, as Tom talks about the recent setbacks with the US version of Torchwood. There are some interesting implications if you read between the lines.

Check out Tom's review of Victory of the Daleks: http://www.behindthesofa.org.uk/2010/04/spitfire-from-space.html

TCR 011: Mo Monsters Mo Problems (16 April 2010)

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 03:08:00 +0000

This week on The Cloister Room, Tom digs into Doctor Who: The Beast Below and Lost: Everybody Loves Hugo, with some kind words for Ashes to Ashes as well.

In Act One, it's all about the monsters, and whether Doctor Who always needs them. In Act Two, Tom makes some minor complaints about how the final season of Lost is going. But in Act Three, Tom turns it around and brings the optimism, praising the first two episodes of series three of Ashes to Ashes.

All this plus the Dune Quote of the Week!

Check out Tom's review of The Beast Below: http://www.behindthesofa.org.uk/2010/04/pushing-the-right-buttons-.html

TCR 010: The Fish Custard Dating Controversy

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 23:51:00 +0000

In this episode, Tom shares some brief considerations on the most recent episodes of Doctor Who and Lost.

In Act One, it's all about the Doctor and the companion keeping secrets form one another. In Act Two, Tom discusses the Fish Custard Dating Controversy. In Act Three, Tom explains why, if anything happens, Desmond Hume will be his constant.

All this plus the Dune Quote of the Week.

Check out Tom's review of The Eleventh Hour: http://www.behindthesofa.org.uk/2010/04/the-pinwheelest-pinwheel.html

TCR 009: NOT about Matt Smith

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 23:59:00 +0000

In this episode, Tom does not talk about Matt Smith or Steven Moffatt or Series Five or any of the amazing things that are going to happen tomorrow.

Instead, he goes ahead with the episode he was planning on doing two weeks ago, reviewing the Klein stories by Big Finish, and talking about recent mythological revelations on Lost. And at the end, some impromptu reviews of classic series episodes.

TCR 008: Incursion of the Ha'Roul

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 02:42:00 +0000

In this weeks (er... actually, LAST week's, since I was four days late in releasing it) thrilling episode of The Cloister Room, Tom talks about sense an nonsense.

In Act One, Tom talks about the lack of nonsense in Doctor Who story titles. In Act Two, the "Tom Says Some Stuff About Lost" is about the answers (or non-answers) that Lost is delivering in its final season. Are we making sense of Lost, or aren't we?

Plus, the Dune Quote of the Week, and Haiku Reviews on... well, music, which is entirely off-topic. Does that make sense? Maybe not, but that's what this episode is about!

TCR 007: I Hope It's Cool!

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:41:00 +0000

This week on The Cloister Room, Tom talks about reboots. No, not ReBoot. Franchise continuity reboots. Of the kind that, back in January, Jane Tranter was considering engaging in for the purpose of bringing Doctor Who to the US. Tom explains his reaction and, well... it's not fanboyish bile.

Plus two new, presumably regular segments: Tom Says Some Stuff About Lost: Tom unravels the mysteries of the new narrative device introduced this season of Lost. The Haiku Review: Tom offers his poetically pithy reviews of three currently-running TV programs.

All this and more*, on this week's episode of The Cloister Room.

Please follow me on Twitter! You can get updates about this show at @TheCloisterRoom, and you can follow my daily musings on all sorts of banal things at @tdickinson.

*NOTE: And by "more" I mean the Dune Quote of the Week. That's more, right?

TCR 006: An Announcement, and a Lament for Gallifrey

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 04:26:00 +0000

Tom announces the advent of weekly episodes, and shares his thoughts on the Gallifrey One Convention. By singing.

Links: Blinovitch: "The Ultimate Foe" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMMsuhwZ7Bo Blinovitch: "Five Docs" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLPkpxl4u7E

Special thanks to these guys for featuring my song! Bridging the Rift: http://bridgingtherift.wordpress.com/ Tim's Take On...: http://timstakeon.libsyn.com/

Please follow me on Twitter! You can get updates about this show at @TheCloisterRoom, and you can follow my daily musings on all sorts of banal things at @tdickinson.

TCR 005: The Great Genre Panic

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 23:48:00 +0000

It's back! The Cloister Room bursts back onto the scene for Christmas eve in an episode that has... nothing to do with Christmas at all. Ah well. This week, I take a look at the state of genre television on major networks in the United States, looking at the problems posed by shows like Dollhouse and what the American industry can learn from the UK, and, of course, Doctor Who in particular. Feedback is welcome, and one particular question of interest: if an American actor had to play the Doctor, who would you want it to be? Some thoughts are in the episode, but I'd love to hear your opinion on this and other issues in the comments!

TCR 004: Requiem for a Drama

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:33:00 +0000

The Cloister Room returns! No, it has not been canceled before its time, but this is an episode about television shows that were canceled before their time. The question at stake: Is it worth setting yourself up for disappointment by investing in a show that's already been canceled, or looks like it will be? The answer: Well, you'll just have to listen to find out! Also, the Dune quote of the week. Which is a bit of a misnomer, coming from a podcast that makes no claim to a weekly schedule.

Elsewhere on the Internet:
You can hear Tom as a guest panelist on episode 7 of Bridging the Rift (as soon as it's released anyway, I'll put a link to the episode here once it's out).

And you can also hear Tom, singing! Tom has sort of started a Trock project called Blinovitch, and he sings a song about The Valeyard over at videobloggery. It's called "The Ultimate Foe".

TCR 003: Man, O Mandalorian!

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 02:51:00 +0000

Ha! After a brief dry spell, you thought this rookie podcast didn't have the staying power to last more than two episodes. But you were wrong, buster.

Last time on the Cloister Room, Tom promised a discussion of Star Wars. This week, he deviates from his plans but still fulfills the promise by talking about canonical issues in Star Wars. Also included is a defense of canon in Doctor Who. All this and also the Dune Quote of the Week in the third exciting episode of this rookie podcast.

The Cloister Room promo

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 03:02:00 +0000

Have a podcast? Want to run a promo for The Cloister Room? Well, please do!

TCR 002: O Captain! My Captain!

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 02:27:00 +0000

This week on The Cloister Room, Tom takes a look at Captain Jack Harkness: the background of the character, the major events that have shaken him in Children of Earth, and his thoughts on the character's direction for the future. But that's only one of the four acts in this episode. Tom also discusses the recently unveiled trailers for the upcoming specials and Russell T Davies' attitude on religion in Torchwood: Children of Earth. It's far and away the most jam-packed episode yet, which, Tom admits, is really not saying much, as it's only the second one!

Useful Links:
The Waters of Mars Trailer (youtube)
The End of the World Trailer (youtube)
The Minute Doctor Who Podcast (discussed in this episode)

Planet of the Dead liveblog on 7/26 at 7:45 PM Eastern

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 13:34:00 +0000

On Sunday, July 26 at 7:45 PM Eastern, I will be hosting a liveblog during BBC America's first airing of Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead, at my personal blog, tawm.net. You can join me and a bunch of other Doctor Who fans for a live discussion of Planet of the Dead as it happens on air. The chat will open early so people have time to arrive and say hi, then we'll watch the episode until its conclusion at 9:15 and stick around afterward for some discussion.

If you'd like to join us but don't get BBC America, feel free to bring along whatever copy of Planet of the Dead you have and we'll tell you when to start and stop to compensate for the commercial breaks and stay in sync with us.

Thanks to Chip from the Two Minute Time Lord podcast for this lively idea. His Torchwood: Children of Earth liveblogs were great fun. Unlike Chip's liveblogs, this liveblog will take a relaxed attitude toward spoilers as I'm assuming most of us have seen it already. The CoveritLive liveblog service makes it really simple which allows us to focus on having a good time.

I hope you'll join us! Just visit tawm.net at 7:45 and you'll find the liveblog.

TCR: 000 and 001 Special Compilation Edition

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:59:00 +0000

There was a massive outcry for mp3 over m4a, and I have obliged. This special mp3 compilation of TCR:001 and TCR:002 contains never-before-heard linking material by Tom Baker. Wait, Dickinson. Did I say Baker? I meant Dickinson.

The Small Screen, the Big Screen, and the Bigger-on-the-Inside Screen

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 22:16:00 +0000

After a wishy-washy, namby-pamby episode zero, The Cloister Room roars onto the scene with its triumphant episode 001: "The Small Screen, the Big Screen, and the Bigger-on-the-Inside Screen."

In this episode, host Tom Dickinson kicks it off by discussing Doctor Who films: The ones that were made, the ones that were proposed, and the one that's rumored to be in development. All this and more (but not much more) in the exciting premiere of The Cloister Room.

TCR 000: Pilot

thecloisterroom@gmail.com (Tom and Louis) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 20:10:00 +0000

The first, or rather zero-th, episode of The Clositer Room. Characterized by a distinct lack of any kind of content or enjoyability. Mostly just a test since I'm new to this podcasting thing.