Benjamin Cook

“A genuinely impressive piece of work… the best of the classic Who edits to date.” Catching up on this month’s @DWMtweets. Belated thanks to @evilrobotbill.bsky.social for his kind words about “The Sea Devils” (2025) omnibus. 💙 Hey, it’s OUT NOW on The War Between DVD, Blu-ray, and Steelbook. 🌊 😈

Out today!

The War Between the Land and the Sea

+ many extras including the new 90-minute edit of "The Sea Devils"

Blu-ray Steelbook: amzn.to/4kd2uZr
Blu-ray: amzn.to/4ap4yKG
DVD: amzn.to/49UWMbr #ad

Also available at Rarewaves: tidd.ly/4kd37SN

You wrote for the RT under its classy new masthead! I’m well jel.

Please.

After the success of "The Daleks" and "The War Games" it was perhaps inevitable that @benjamincook.bsky.social and colleagues would get round to "The Krotons in Colour".

Amazing coda here.

Design nerds, here's the new @radiotimes.bsky.social logo as revealed at their covers party this evening.

These are gorgeous covers. 😍

Brilliant!

Fiona only *accused* Rachel of being a Traitor, to be fair. Accusations are allowed (otherwise the Round Table would be tough 😅), it’s *reveals* that aren’t.

Love this letter in the latest Doctor Who Magazine. James’ 10yo son has excellent taste.

Lie, unless it breaks the vow. That’s the golden rule for the whole game, really.

Hear me out. Could you ask, “Name 10 fellow players who are DEFINITELY Traitors.” 😏

Traitors can’t break the vow “to keep the identity of your fellow Traitors a secret”, so this question forces their hand: they can’t NOT lie!

Meaning every name they give is guaranteed Faithful.

A voice from the past! Beth Willis, my ex-co-exec (say that in a hurry) wrote to me the other day, asking me to give her some thoughts on script development, for a talk she was giving. Since I was up to my crying eyes in a Doctor Who, I ended up ranting away about that. And having ranted, I thought it was mildly possible you lot might be interested. If not, don’t worry, back to jokes and evasion next month. Here’s what I wrote to Beth: THE PITCH On Doctor Who, or Sherlock, that means I sit and wave my arms, and gibber till somebody smiles. The new Big Idea. This is the happiest time on any script – when it’s all sunlit future, and excitement, and the absolute certainty that this time you’re going to write a cracker. And it must feel that way, there can be no doubts. It’s all downhill from here, so you’d better start a long way up the slope. And anyone listening to that pitch better look happy. Because that’s the moment when the best idea can turn to ashes in your mouth. A frown, a yawn, a shrug, and you hit the rocks. It is not that writers are sensitive beasts – I am, but the rest are well hard – it is that writing is humiliating. It is cataloging in public everything you think is insightful or clever or funny or exciting. Or, in fact, sexy, which is the worst. No writer has ever had sex, so frankly, it’s all guesswork. So let’s assume that went well. Everyone in the room is excited and it’s time for the writer to go home and spoil it all. With, of course: THE FIRST DRAFT Now before I start, let’s get the threats out of the way. Everyone who ever says “It’s only a first draft” can go to screaming hell and burn. Somehow that has become a norm. Writers say things like, “Well it’s just a discussion document really!” No it isn’t. It really sodding isn’t. The first draft is the real work. It’s when you haul the story out of the mud, and get a look at what you’ve got. The first draft is authorship – everything after that is engineering. So you give it everything. You d…

Some good writerly advice from Steven Moffat, published in Doctor Who Magazine #471.

Let’s hope so!

In a few weeks, Tess Daly will be revealed as the Secret Traitor, and the takeover will be complete. #TheTraitors

“Mr Whatsit, you have received the most votes…” #TheTraitors

Well, I enjoyed the Stranger Things finale.

Mostly, though, I’m grateful for the reminder that Doctor Who fans are – and I can’t believe I’m saying this – comparably sane.

Edits for The War Games in Colour omnibus

What did I get up to in 2025? The year started and ended with charting the edits for two omnibuses on TV. First The War Games cut down to almost a third the length but now IN COLOUR!

Current deal - 15% off!

Doctor Who: The War Games in Colour Steelbook Blu-ray

Currently only £15.16!

(cheaper than the regular blu-ray edition, which is currently £16.99)

amzn.to/4qwANgi #ad

Beatles boffins! What can you tell me about this photo of Ringo? Found in a box of ’60s things (!) in my parents’ attic. It’s from – I think? – A Hard Day’s Night, but is it a well-known shot? Or something a bit more obscure? (I’m betting @samiraahmed.bsky.social will know.)

Thanks, Jonathan. 💙

😂

🤭

That would explain the moustaches. 🥴

The single greatest piece of acting in Doctor Who history, and I profoundly regret cutting it from our 2025 “The Sea Devils” omnibus. 🌊😈 Merry Xmas, everyone.

Thank you. 💙💙

No worries, fella. 🙂 I’ll pass your kind words on to the team. I’m sure they’ll take your “awful”, “beyond dreadful”, “boring”, “shit” feedback on board and try harder next time.

Thanks for letting us know, Dan. 👍