Synopsis of the 1972 Dr Who story ‘The Time Monster’, from the 1973 10th Aniversary Special. Synopsis is accompanied by a small photograph of the mythical creature ‘Kronos’ that features in this story.

The grand rewatch has brought me to ‘The Time Monster’, a story I first encountered via this intriguing synopsis in the 1973 Radio Times Special (a plot description the equal of anything that ran in the ‘Countdown’ Dr. Who comic strips of the same era).
I just can’t help but admire its ambition...

There’s logic to the pilot date.. or September - but not April 🤷🏼‍♀️

It seems rather arbitrary to select April 1976 as start of the series

The Pilot aired in 1975

Two episodes commissioned as follow up “specials” aired in April - with 11 further episodes then commissioned to air from September

Retrospectively, all considered S1

I see no injured Ducks here

Relief 😮‍💨 🤭

One for your diaries

Wednesday 13 May 2026

In my opinion superior to the TV21 Extras:

Regular artists from the weekly

Frank Langford an exception, providing limited content here

Michael Strand does most of the heavy lifting on Lady P

Which provides it’s own delight

A top draw thread promised

May not July 🤦‍♀️

Got Wimbledon in my head

I got Tuesday's Whodle in 1 guess! ✅ Can you?
whodle.dixonary.co.uk/game/2026-04...

It’s a pretty easy win for Corgi

Some new figurines inside

Maybe on wings too!

It’s here

CS90559

You just have to repaint it

When Frank did have to take a holiday from the Lady P weekly

Michael stood in there too

Confirming my feelings the best other artist placed to realise her, Parker and their world

Rock on July to see more with the Lady P Summer Extra

Including a repeat of our Wimbledon cheat from last year! 🤭

Aye

We’ve a few more Michael Strand Lady P to enjoy still across various media

The Lady P story a wonderful addition

Any new Frank Langford after his 1960s work, welcome

The next Lady P outing in Countdown will be with Stingray’s Michael Strand

Who proved himself with Lady P’s Wimbledon story in the ‘66 special

PS

A “must watch” for original readers and fans of Countdown

👇🏼

Until next week

👋🏼

Peter Ford continues to take a pay cheque from Cadbury’s

1967 Johnny Mann Singers - Up-Up And Away (mono 45) YouTube video by The45Prof

5th Dimension’s single release of “Up, Up and Away” failed to chart in the U.K.

A cover by the Johnny Mann Singers was released in July 1967

Thunderbird 6 was midway through principal photography

The Johnny Mann cover peaked at #6 in mid August

“Pressure Point”

Told you International Rescue were going to get creative with their rescue plans in this..

John M Burns masterpiece

The conclusion to this week’s “story in one”

These airships contain design elements familiar to us but with subtle nods to Skyship One also

So let’s treat this as a prequel to Thunderbird 6 🤷🏼‍♀️

Solves the problem of Parker having never flown on an airship before..

Also, what happened to FAB1!

A link to some interesting detail on Cargo Airships Ltd design

Max Rynish was adept at getting questions raised in the House of Commons to plug his proposals..

Clearly had “friends”

Check out Hansard for that

More of yer factuals

The regions stack up so..

UFO Spotting

Saturday 24th April 1971

5.10pm Anglia: Computer Affair
5.15pm ATV Midlands: Ordeal
5.15pm Yorkshire: Exposed
5.15pm Southern: Sub Smash

This week’s UFO on Southern

Sub-Smash

Too Old at 32

Consistently following the tv series’ tone

Consistently brilliant

Thunderbird 6

Premiered 29 July 1968

The film’s first UK TV airing was 25 May 1975 on LWT

ATV, Border, Yorkshire, Tyne Tees and Southern would also screen before the end of 1975

With other regions to follow

More brand new material illustrated by former TV21 artist

Welcome back Frank Langford

Penelope has experience with airships..

The One-Second Success Story of Venera 7 YouTube video by SciShow Space

“Bound for the Planet of Riddles” isn’t available

So here’s a short piece on Venera 7 anyways

For yer education

Think Tank

“Six-year-old Marcus Perry of Farnham, Surrey had accidentally walked into the studios where Jon Pertwee was rehearsing”

Marcus Perry 🤔

That wouldn’t be the son of Art Editor Roger Perry, would it?