Shane Plays Geek Talk Episode #286 – 9/28/2025
The Quatermass Experiment, the highly influential series considered the “birth of TV Sci-Fi”, with Toby Hadoke (Quatermass Experiment megafan, Doctor Who megafan, special features do-er, author, and standup comedian… he just sits around and twiddles his thumbs, does Toby). Toby’s written the definitive book on the first Quatermass Experiment serial! Some Doctor Who discussion. “Behind the sofa.” The sneaky plan Toby used to name his dog. Nigel Neale (Quatermass writer) has influenced such directors as John Carpenter, Joe Dante, and Dan O’Bannon. Which Quatermass Experiment serial does Toby recommend starting with? Different motivations for British and American TV in decades past. Toby says Nigel Neale’s The Road has the best ending of anything, ever. What are the chances of more Quatermass in the future? A nice tangent into John Carpenter’s The Thing. A few last-minute Doctor Who tangents (including one about the Doctor going into his own brain). Pronunciation differences between the British and Americans (how the heck do you say Omega, anyway?). Toby actually likes one of the Bad Jokes of the Week.
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SHOW NOTES
Toby Hadoke on Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/TobyHadoke
Toby Hadoke on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@TobyHadoke
Toby’s Website
https://tobyhadoke.com/
Toby’s Book! The Quatermass Experiment: The Making of TV’s First Sci-Fi Classic
https://tenacrefilms.bigcartel.com/product/the-quatermass-experiment-the-making-of-tv-s-first-sci-fi-classic
The Quatermass Experiment on Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Quatermass_Experiment
Nigel Neale on Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigel_Kneale
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Dungeons and Desktops: The History of Computer Role-Playing Games 2nd Edition
Shane’s book! Co-authored with Matt Barton of Matt Chat
Order on Amazon now:
https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Desktops-History-Computer-Role-Playing/dp/1138574643/
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Fascinating guest. I am a fan of the three Quatermass films. I like the Prof in the last film the best but that film has some unintentionally funny alien effects. The two earlier films have better effects and the first one has some creepy moments of body horror. Fans of creepy British sci-f will also like the Trollenberg Terror,aka The Crawling Eye.
I disagree with the Quatermass films influencing Alien and the Things, but go ahead and think that if it makes you happy. I will have to check out that Dr. Whoever show you mentioned.