Best Producer James Mclean Host Podcasts (2025)

1
474: Doctor Who: Wish World with John Kenneth Muir 1:08:58

2d ago1:08:58

1:08:58

This week's podcast welcomes John Kenneth Muir, a guest who has also joined us previously on the John and Jim's Excellent Adventure podcasts. Naturally, he's here to discuss Wish World with James, the penultimate episode of Doctor Who Series 15/2/41, however you prefer to count it. Expect some interesting insights into both the episode and the pote…

1
473: Doctor Who: The Interstellar Song Contest 59:05

8d ago59:05

59:05

This week, it's James McLean and the enigmatic Magnus chewing the Time Lord fat (eww). They get deep into The Interstellar Song Contest, with James as a long-term viewer of Doctor Who and Magnus as a more recent arrival. Shownotes Doctor Who: The Interstellar Song Contest on BBC iPlayer and Disney+ Patreon benefits Supporters of the podcast on Patr…

1
472: Doctor Who: The Story and The Engine with Gareth Kavanagh 32:37

15d ago32:37

32:37

Vworp Vworp and Cutaway Comics' Gareth Kavanagh joins James McLean in this week's Doctor Who podcast. They cover the latest episode of Doctor Who (The Story and The Engine), with some interesting insights... Shownotes Doctor Who: The Story and The Engine on BBC iPlayer and Disney Plus Cutaway Comics Patreon benefits Supporters of the podcast on Pat…

1
471: Doctor Who: Lucky Day with DWC's Philip Bates 1:09:46

24d ago1:09:46

1:09:46

This week, James McLean is joined by Doctor Who Companion editor Philip Bates to discuss the latest episode, Lucky Day. They cover everything from twists and turns to the now-perennial question: will Doctor Who continue beyond this series? Patreon subscribers, will also be able to see this conversation, if preferred, in video format. Shownotes Doct…

1
470: Exploring Doctor Who: The Well with guest James Whittington 1:28:11

1M ago1:28:11

1:28:11

Episode 3 of Doctor Who Series 15, The Well, has aired in the UK and worldwide on the Disney+ service, and is ripe for discussion. What impact has this episode has, and can James McLean discern it? This week, James is joined by James Whittington, a writer who worked with us back in the days of our old website. He also writes for the Legend TV chann…

1
469: Doctor Who: Lux reviewed, with guest Rick Lundeen 1:12:57

1M ago1:12:57

1:12:57

Doctor Who Series 15's second episode, Lux, is the subject of discussion this week. James McLean welcomes this week's guest, Rick Lundeen, for quite a deep and wide-ranging chat about the episode and Doctor Who's current status. Rick is a writer and artist with quite a considerable body of work behind him. Among those include work with Christian Ca…

1
468: Robot Revolution: is Doctor Who on the right track? 1:09:57

1M ago1:09:57

1:09:57

James and Magnus discuss the first episode of Doctor Who S15, Robot Revolution, which introduces a new companion, Belinda Chandra, and ends with quite the cliffhanger. This is an in-depth discussion of the episode, covering everything from the visual style to the themes of coercive control and loss. Members of our free Patreon heard this episode fi…

1
467: Is this the end of Doctor Who? PLUS: Series 15 preview 55:46

2M ago55:46

55:46

This week's podcast was supposed to be Christian chatting with the Doctor Who Companion's Philip Bates about Doctor Who Series 15... and then Newsround published a brief chat with Russell T Davies. Suddenly, we had to talk about the possibility that Doctor Who Series 15 might be the last, certainly as far as the current production setup is concerne…

1
466: Is Doctor Who's time running out? Plus Beatles, Quatermass & Battle of Britain secrets! 40:10

2M ago40:10

40:10

In this week's podcast, Christian and James discuss Russell T Davies recent remarks concerning Doctor Who's future. After that, the podcast continues with Christian highlighting a few interesting things he's come across recently, including a Beatles demo reel, a new Quatermass book from Toby Hadoke, and a Battle of Britain documentary tied to the p…

1
465: Adrian Munsey on Wonderland: Science Fiction in the Atomic Age 47:15

2M ago47:15

47:15

Adrian Munsey, the director and writer of the Sky Arts series Wonderland: Science Fiction in the Atomic Age joined James McLean to explore his four-part documentary. We previously shared the raw video version of this chat. Here is the audio podcast, for more convenient listening. The series starts on April 3, 2025 on Sky Arts, and runs for four wee…

1
464: Single takes: Aliens on Sodor 35:33

2M ago35:33

35:33

This week, Christian Cawley and James McLean mull over the impact of the single take shot in new Netflix drama Adolescence. Single takes, also known as one-shots and continuous shots, have appeared in many movies and TV shows, from Marvel's Daredevil to Alfred Hitchcock's Rope to Orson Welles' Touch of Evil, and many other besides. It has been tech…

1
463: PODCASTHON SPECIAL: Is Pierce Brosnan part of the future of James Bond? 56:01

2M ago56:01

56:01

Hello! This is our brand new podcast, which not only talks about James Bond, but also supports Podcasthon. James McLean and Christian Cawley reconvene this week to discuss the events surrounding Amazon's purchase of Eon, and the resulting rumours. While we unsurprisingly dwell on the tempting notion of Pierce Brosnan returning as an older James Bon…

1
462: Box of Delights RPG, Fighting Fantasy back in print, and Avengers curiousities 30:23

3M ago30:23

30:23

This week, Christian Cawley looks at some new Box of Delights material, a Fighting Fantasy books Kickstarter, a rediscovered Top of the Pops episode, and a new book about The Avengers (not the lycra superheroes). Did you know, all our podcasts launch earlier on Patreon? Join us free at www.patreon.com/kasterborous, where you’ll also find podcasts w…

1
461: Are tech billionaires the new gods of a secular age? 27:21

3M ago27:21

27:21

This week, Christian chats with comedian Garrett Millerick about his standup show, Just Trying to Help, which is available to watch on YouTube now, and is recommended. The thrust of the conversation is about our relationships with people like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg (and to a lesser extent Richard Branson...) and how they influence t…

1
460: Has Ncuti Gatwa quit Doctor Who, and is Disney pulling out? 40:10

3M ago40:10

40:10

Christian Cawley and James McLean discuss the recent media reports that Ncuti Gatwa has quit Doctor Who. This is the full-length discussion, which also features exchanges on accusations of "wokery" across the show's recent storylines, Disney's involvement, and how the BBC still doesn't seem to know who the show's audience is. Let us know what you t…

1
459: Artificial Intelligence and Doctor Who Missing Episodes 41:30

3M ago41:30

41:30

Welcome to a new edition of the famously non-award-winning podcast, now in its 18th year of critical acclaim-free production! This week, Christian Cawley and James McLean are here to talk about Doctor Who topics: Tom Baker's OBE, the passing of David A McIntee, and the activities of generative AI creators. Is it a good idea to create missing episod…

1
458: Beam Me Up… Star Trek! New Bowie tracks! And Alien Too! 30:05

4M ago30:05

30:05

We're back! It has been a few weeks, but 2025 is in full swing, so it makes sense to get the podcast up and running again. This week Christian covers a bunch of stuff, from Star Trek Discovery being ejected from continuity to a new Alien RPG. Oh, and a look at those David Bowie tapes from the Young Americans era. It's all in the latest edition of K…

1
457: The TV listings guides of Christmas past 38:40

5M ago38:40

38:40

This week, to celebrate the arrival of The Big Man, James McLean and Christian Cawley cast their minds back to years passed. Once upon a time, a key element of Christmas was to circle shows in the TV listings guides, claiming a stake on the family television to watch key televisual experiences. What has happened to this ritual? Who even cares about…

1
456: Adrian Salmon and Gareth Kavanagh chat The Time Team Unearthed Kickstarter 41:28

5M ago41:28

41:28

This week, James and Christian are joined by Gareth Kavanagh and Adrian Salmon to discuss a new Kickstarter, The Time Team Unearthed. Showcasing the Doctor Who Art of Adrian Salmon from the pages of Doctor Who Magazine's original monthly Time Team feature, the project breached its target within hours of going live. Stretch goals are available, and …

1
455: Star Wars Skeleton Crew launches, Time Team Unearthed Kickstarter smashes target 26:21

6M ago26:21

26:21

Hello! Welcome to this week's slightly late podcast. Christian hosts solo this week, taking in everything from Star Wars and a new book of Adrian Salmon Doctor Who art to music documentaries from Fleetwood Mac and Led Zeppelin, and a star in a medium priced car, way back in 1987... Shownotes In this week's show, you'll hear reference to: Star Wars:…

1
454: Discussing The Box of Delights 40th Anniversary with Chris Chapman 45:07

6M ago45:07

45:07

Blu-ray extra documentary producer Chris Chapman joins Christian Cawley to discuss The Box of Delights and his new feature for the show's 40th anniversary release, "Time and Tide". Kicking off the episode, Christian Cawley and James McLean discuss Christmas 1984, The Box of Delights, and whether (and how) the serial continues to entertain. This epi…

1
453: The War Games in Colour, Andor S2, and the CGI Captain Kirk 27:56

6M ago27:56

27:56

Christian and James get together this week to bring you almost 60 minutes of chat covering Doctor Who: The War Games in Colour, Andor Season 2 news, and the stunning 765874 Unification featuring the digital likenesses of William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. This is the first of two podcasts this week. Members of our free Patreon got a longer episode,…

1
452: Get your Paddington Bear valued, and hear the voice of Florence Nightingale! 26:42

6M ago26:42

26:42

This week, Christian Cawley covers everything from Paddington Bear and the voice of the the Lady with the Lamp to Led Zeppelin's upcoming documentary, a Half-Life 2 documentary celebrating 20 years of a seminal video game, and that place where Basil Fawlty lost it with his car. Oh, and news of when you can watch The Box of Delights on TV! That's a …

1
451: Top Midsomer Murders eps, Kickstarters… and Gen X hasn’t seen Gladiator? 28:12

6M ago28:12

28:12

Here's our latest episode, featuring Christian Cawley discussing everything that caught his eye in the past week. There's some Midsomer Murders, a mysterious song on the internet, a new publication from Candy Jar Books, an update on the Discworld RPG Kickstarter, and a lost episode of... Family Fortunes...? Quick note, the Red Dwarf book giveaway/d…

1
450: Looking back at The Terminator, 40 years on 1:05:13

7M ago1:05:13

1:05:13

Here is this week's podcast, an hour-long chat between Christian and James concerning (mostly) The Terminator. This is a shorter version of the version published earlier for our Patreon members. To ensure you get the full chat, sign up to our Patreon - it's free. Shownotes The Terminator (Amazon) Terminator 2: Judgement Day (Amazon) Terminator 3: R…

1
449: Gods and Monsters, Virtual Parky, Sherlock Holmes, and more Led Zeppelin... 30:15

7M ago30:15

30:15

A little later than usual, our weekly podcast features Christian Cawley exploring the latest in classic TV news, publications, and film. This week, we look at Cutaway Comics' already funded Indiegogo campaign for the second phase of its Doctor Who-adjacent Gods and Monsters series. There is also news of the AI Michael Parkinson (we jest not) and so…

1
448: Tom Salinsky on his book, Red Dwarf: Discovering the TV Series 32:04

7M ago32:04

32:04

James speaks to Tom Salinsky about Red Dwarf, and his book Red Dwarf: Discovering the TV Series: Volume I: 1988-1993, which is available now! This chat covers various eras of Red Dwarf, not just those featured in Tom's book. You can listen to the full 40 minute version of this podcast on our free Patreon. Shownotes Red Dwarf: Discovering the TV Ser…

1
447: Hammer Heroes, Legends and Monsters, Likely Lads, Wombles, Led Zeppelin, and so much more! 27:55

7M ago27:55

27:55

Here's this week's weekly show for you, in which Christian covers a host of upcoming releases in the world of classic TVs and cinema. Releases coming soon concern Hammer, titles designer Sid Sutton, The Likely Lads, The Wombles, Alien: Romulus, a new edition of the book Opening the Box of Delights, and some new photos of Led Zeppelin. If you subscr…

1
446: Doctor Who Series 16 rumours, new Beatles documentary, lost Thunderbirds found, and more! 22:39

7M ago22:39

22:39

Hi! This week's podcast covers the confusion over Doctor Who Series 16, take a look at the upcoming Beatles documentary, and tell you about a missing episode of Thunderbirds, an unused edit, that has been rediscovered... Looking at the steady stream of newly recovered TV shows and movies long thought "lost" is pretty interesting right now. Maybe we…

1
445: Rediscovered TV shows, rock graphic novels, and Men Behaving Badly in France 28:27

8M ago28:27

28:27

Christian Cawley brings you the latest news about rediscovered old TV shows, a graphic novel for a massive classic rock band, and a much anticipated TV reunion. Shownotes This week, I told you about: Missing Believed Wiped Facebook Group A Man Called Harry Brent on the Classic British Telly YouTube channel Audio-only episodes of Not Only But Also f…

1
444: The Box of Delights 40th Anniversary Blu-ray, Douglas Adams Audio Archive Kickstarter and Bonzos Boxset release details 26:31

8M ago26:31

26:31

Christian Cawley brings you the latest news of upcoming releases in the world of classic TV and cinema. We're trying something new this week, delivering details of some forthcoming Blu-ray, DVD, CD, and table top RRPGs that we think you might be interested in. This includes The Box of Delights, an audiobook featuring the voice and thoughts of Dougl…

1
443: Philip Hinchcliffe discusses the inside of the TARDIS 32:03

9M ago32:03

32:03

We've had a few weeks' rest and recuperation but we're now back with a rare pleasure: former Doctor Who producer Philip Hinchcliffe (1974-1977)! There is a bit of a story behind this one. Back in 2018, Gareth Kavanagh invited James McLean and Christian Cawley to do some live podcasting and panel interviews at the VworpCon event, held at the PrintWo…

1
442: How Doctor Who events have evolved over the decades 31:27

9M ago31:27

31:27

Over the past few years, we've had the chance to attend all manner of Doctor Who events. It's fair to say that the whole world of conventions and interactive experiences has evolved considerably. From Dimensions 2005 to VworpCon in 2018, and The Crash of the Elysium to Escape Hunt: A Dalek Awakens, we've been very fortunate to have attended a whole…

1
441: House of the Dragon vs. LOTR: The Rings of Power 31:28

10M ago31:28

31:28

n this week's show, Christian Cawley and James McLean face off with their preferred fantasy streaming shows. In the Black corner, Christian is in favour of House of the Dragon... in the Elf corner, it's James, with Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Which is the best show? Why have Christian and James settled on those shows and not the others? …

1
440: SDCC Doctor Who/Star Trek/MCU announcements PLUS: Gareth Kavanagh teases Cutaway Comics 41:11

10M ago41:11

41:11

Iron Man actor Robert Downey Jr as Dr Doom? A Doctor Who spin-off with an incredibly long name? XXXXX XXXXX as Johnny Storm? It can only be the reveals at San Diego Comic Con 2024, and we're here to try and make sense of it all. Even if The War Between the Land and the Sea does sound like a George RR Martin epilogue... Christian Cawley and James Mc…

1
439: Doctor Who finale Empire of Death reviewed 42:58

11M ago42:58

42:58

With a pot of tea and a distinct lack of bland biscuits and/or Jaffa cakes, James and Magnus discuss the highs and lows of the finale for series 1/14/40 of Doctor Who, Empire of Death. Were they overwhelmed? Underwhelmed? Whelmed? Hit play to find out... Shownotes Doctor Who Series 14 on BBC iPlayer Doctor Who Series 14 on Disney+ Get in touch If y…

1
438: A time travelling trip to The Legend of Ruby Sunday 53:06

12M ago53:06

53:06

James and Magnus commit to an after-show omnibus with a five episode review of the latest season of Doctor Who finishing with the penultimate episode, The Legend of Ruby Sunday. And James misremembers his Pyramids of Mars. For shame. Shownotes Some useful links: Doctor Who Series 14 on BBC iPlayer Doctor Who Series 14 on Disney+ Get in touch If you…

1
437: Go Figure, the Character Options figurine collection 30:05

12M ago30:05

30:05

We're delighted to welcome Gareth Kavanagh to this week's podcast, in which we discuss Go Figure! This is the upcoming book detailing the entirety of the Character Options Doctor Who figurine range. It's already achieved its funding goal on Indiegogo, but you have 4 days left (as of June 15th, 2024) to help the project reach some tasty looking stre…

1
436: Contemporary Language in Sci-fi TV and Movies 46:46

12M ago46:46

46:46

In this podcast, Christian Cawley and James McLean commence a conversation that takes them into an unexpected direction, namely language. Why is representation of contemporary language so poor in TV and movies? Beyond expletives in Hollywood movies, the representation of what we archaicly refer to as "street talk" is in most cases laughable. Get in…

1
435: Remembering William Russell - The Adventures of Sir Lancelot Commentary 35:56

12M ago35:56

35:56

Esteemed British actor William Russell sadly passed away on June 4th, 2024, at the age of 99. An actor with a career spanning 73 years, his final screen appearance was, of course, in a 2022 Doctor Who episode, The Power of the Doctor. Over the years, Russell (who also acted under the name Russell Enoch) accumulated a remarkable 109 screen and audio…

1
434: An Unearthly Child Commentary 41:05

12M ago41:05

41:05

James introduces Magnus to An Unearthly Child, a planned kommentary podkast that has found bittersweet timing with the sad passing of William Russell, the actor who played Ian Chesterton, and James’ beside framed autograph. Explore An Unearthly Child through the eyes of a being who has never seen it before! Shownotes An Unearthly Child is not avail…

1
433: Space Babies and The Devil's Chord reviewed 47:03

1y ago47:03

47:03

James McLean welcomes back the enigmatic Magnus to discuss the new adventures of Doctor Who. Series 14 is with us, but what is the Kasterborous take on Space Babies and The Devil's Chord episodes? Well, there is only one way to find out. (Actually two, but unless you're prepared to track down James and Magnus and ask them face-to-face, listening to…

1
432: It's 25 Years Since The Phantom Menace Ruined/Revived Star Wars 49:25

1y ago49:25

49:25

Incredibly, it is 25 years since The Phantom Menace hit cinemas and launched a revival of Star Wars that continues to this day. Inspired by the discovery of a 4K vs 35mm comparison video on YouTube, Christian Cawley and James McLean discuss The Phantom Menace. From watching it for the first time, to modern questions and inconsistencies, this talk h…

1
431: Philip Bates Talks Racoons, Doctor Who Companions, and UNIT Books 46:57

1y ago46:57

46:57

We're back with a new, later-than-planned podcast with guest Philip Bates of The Doctor Who Companion. Philip chats to Christian Cawley about some projects he's working on with Candy Jar Books, which includes some books on The Racoons, an update to Companions: Fifty Years of Doctor Who Assistants called Companions: Sixty Years of Doctor Who Assista…

1
430: 2023 Doctor Who Christmas Special Reviewed: The Church on Ruby Road 1:02:08

1+ y ago1:02:08

1:02:08

The Church on Ruby Road is reviewed in our latest Doctor Who podcast. Christian Cawley is conducting other activities this week, so James McLean is joined by "Magnus" to discuss the 2023 Doctor Who Christmas special. But who is Magnus, and will you ever find out? Probably not, but it's an interesting conundrum to consider as you listen to this chat…

1
429: Doctor Who 60th Review: The Giggle 55:09

1+ y ago55:09

55:09

Admittedly later than planned, we're back for our review of the third Doctor Who 60th anniversary episode, The Giggle. Guest starring Neil Patrick Harris (Doogie Howzer MD, How I Met Your Mother, etc.), the episode reintroduces Bonnie Langford as Melanie Bush and brings us our first look at the 15th Doctor Who, Ncuti Gatwa. Quite a bit of him, in f…

1
428: Doctor Who 60th Review: Wild Blue Yonder 50:18

1+ y ago50:18

50:18

We're back with a discussion about the latest Doctor Who 60th anniversary episode, Wild Blue Yonder. Christian Cawley and James McLean discuss various elements of the story, how it came across and compared to the previous episode (The Star Beast), and spend a few minutes slagging off the Power of Three. Oh, and we're very pleased to tell you that t…

1
427: Doctor Who 60th Review: The Star Beast 41:25

1+ y ago41:25

41:25

The first part of Doctor Who's 60th anniversary has aired - but what did the Kasterborous team think of The Star Beast? This week, Christian Cawley and James McLean are joined by Philip Bates, the driving force behind The Doctor Who Companion. We cover everything from steelworks in North London (!) to Miriam "Margoyles" with gender transitions and …

1
426: How Does Doctor Who 60th Hype Compare With Other Anniversaries? 39:33

1+ y ago39:33

39:33

It's Doctor Who's 60th anniversary today, but how does the promotion and hype compare with other years? Christian Cawley and James McLean look back at 1998, 2003, and 2013 to contrast and discuss how things were very different in Doctor Who celebrations in landmark years gone by. Shownotes: Russell T Davies and David Tennant on The One Show Russell…

1
425: John and Jim’s Excellent Journey #8: 60 Years of Star Trek in Another 60 minutes (or so) 43:19

1+ y ago43:19

43:19

John Kenneth Muir and James McLean's deep dive into Star Trek continues in our latest podcast. John Kenneth Muir and James McLean finish off their discussion on 57 years of Star Trek with a reflection on Star Trek's impact in the 21st Century... desperately, needfully, and irresponsibly seeking to conclude what the franchise means to them. If you m…

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Producer James Mclean Host Podcasts

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