On November 23rd, 2013, Doctor Who marked its fiftieth anniversary. To celebrate, writer John Richards (creator/writer ABC’s Outland, Boxcutters podcast) and comedian Ben McKenzie (Dungeon Crawl, ‘patron saint of geek comedy’ – T-Squat magazine) created Splendid Chaps, a year-long performance/podcast project celebrating all eleven (at the time…) Doctors – and taking Doctor Who discussion into some new and interesting places.

Each episode was recorded live in front of an audience in a different location, making the role of audio engineer David Ashton essential as he made every one sound brilliant. Co-host Petra Elliott dispensed background information and biographies, while a variety of guests joined a discussion of broader topics across the history of Doctor Who – everything from sex to science, family, evil and fear. Every episode ends with a song or other performance, plus there was loveliness and door prizes! The plan was to release just eleven episodes, one each on the 23rd of each month from January to November: one for each Doctor. By the end of the year, though, popular demand had the chaps squeezing in a number of bonus episodes focussing on books, companions, monsters and more, extending that first season into 2014. 

After a few years, the chaps returned in February 2017, in the wake of Class, to talk about Doctor Who’s spin-offs, releasing four episodes with extra interviews recorded just for the podcast. They then came back again in September 2018, just before the Thirteenth Doctor’s debut, to talk about her predecessor. We’ve also popped up briefly this month with a mini-episode discussing Thirteen’s first season, to mark the halfway point of our Kickstarter campaign for Night Terrace! So we haven’t entirely vanished into the vortex…though to be clear, there are no plans to start recording again more regularly!

All episodes of Splendid Chaps are available here on the site, or see below for subscription options to get us in your podcatcher of choice.

Splendid Chaps
Splendid Chaps
Splendid Chaps Productions

A monthly live celebration of Doctor Who's fiftieth anniversary, Splendid Chaps was part intellectual panel discussion, part nerdy Tonight Show. Join your hosts Ben McKenzie, John Richards and Petra Elliott, plus a range of special guests, as they combine analysis, enthusiasm and irreverence in discussions about the world's longest-running science fantasy program. Currently in hibernation, but pops up again from time to time.

Splendid Thanks

Ben, John, Petra and David would like to extend a very splendid thanks to all the backers of our Pozible campaign, who made it possible for us to record the Sydney special The Not-So-Splendid Chaps: Monsters and Villains, plus the bonus episode Splendid Chaps By Request.

Andrew Waddington, Rebecca Dominguez, Matt Smith, Stephen Hahn, Leigh McKenzie, Richard Watts, Steve Leahy, Scott Vandervalk, Fraser McHarg, Tom Norquay, Mark Duval, Darren Burgess, Danny Oz, Avril Hannah-Jones, Marcus Liddle, Chris Langeluddecke, Shane Whyburn, Koa Webster, Ben Searle, Bonnie Bradley, Andrew Wilkinson, Peter McMullen, Henrik Hansen, Nicole Frost, Alex Bennetts, Tony Flynn, Ian Mond, Patrick O’Duffy, Lucas Testro, Dave Bloustien, Adam Kirk, Dallas Jones, Kerrie Dougherty, Sally Evans, Kay Daley, Lauren Davis, Vana Webster, James Sellwood, Matt Savelkoul, Adrian Makohon, Richard Bennett, Graeme Callaghan, Murray Head, Fee Plumley, Jess I, Nick Anning, Andrew MacLean, Henry Yau, Gavin Hayne, Marcus Liddle, Narrelle Harris, Alex Neill, Ignacio Ugarte Salvatierra, Tehani Wessely, Aimee Nichols, Hannah Pelka-Caven, Alex Mason, Samantha Streeter, Tansy Roberts, Brendan Jones, Daniel and Jo Alabaster.

Splendid chaps, all of you!

 

Credits

Produced by
John Richards
Ben McKenzie

Hosted by
Ben McKenzie
John Richards
Petra Elliott

Theme music, recording and audio production by
David Ashton of Sample & Hold Studios
House Band “The Time Lads” Musical Director
Caleb Garfinkel
Photography by
Robert Young
Alanta Colley

Chris Butler
Logo design by
Adam ‘elroy’ Mazzitelli
John, Petra and Ben illustrations by
Terry Blas
Prizes donated by
BBC on DVD Australia
Penguin Books Australia