Sunday, 14 June 2026

Doctor Who Vs. Marple: A Pocket Full of Rye

 

Julia McKenzie (born 1941) made her debut as Jane Marple in the
fourth season of ITV's popular period drama, succeeding Geraldine
 McEwan in the title role. McKenzie had previously portrayed another
of Agatha Christie's female sleuths, Ariadne Oliver (for BBC Radio 4's
 versions of Mrs. McGinty's Dead, Dead Man's Folly and Elephants
Can Remember).
The Queen of Crime's fifty-sixth crime novel (Marple's sixth case)
was published in 1953, and this adaptation was shown on ITV3
today. The mystery first aired in September 2009 - it featured
Matthew MacFayden, Helen Baxendale, Hattie Morahan, and
seventeen Doctor Who cast and crew connections:
  • Big Finish actor McKenzie voiced Rachel Zimmerman for No More Lies (2007), Florence Wickham/Lady Florence Bassett for The Auntie Matter (2013), and the Twelve for Planet of the Ogrons, In the Garden of Death (both 2018), Jonah and Dreadshade (both 2020)
  • Charles Palmer and Matthew Tabern (film editor) both worked on Smith and Jones, The Shakespeare Code, Human Nature and The Family of Blood - Palmer was also director of Oxygen and The Eaters of Light
  • Rupert Graves (Lance Fortescue) was John Riddell in Dinosaurs on a Spaceship
  • Liz White (Jennifer) was Alice in The Snowmen, then voiced Genesta for The Brink of Death (2015), and Helais for The Death of Peladon (2022)
  • Anna Madeley (Adele here; Barbara in Curtain) voiced Laura Lyons for The Monstrous Menagerie (2014)
  • Kenneth Cranham (Rex Fortescue here; DI Bland in Dead Man's Folly, 1986; Barton in Sparkling Cyanide) voiced Tom Cardwell for Blood of the Daleks (2007)
  • Ralf [Alastair John] Little (DS Pickford) voiced Guy Fawkes for The Gunpowder Plot, then was Steadfast in Smile
  • Chris Larkin [born Stephens] (Wright) was Lynley in The Shakespeare Code, then voiced Arthur Pepperdine for The Quintessence (2024)
  • Paul Brooke (Billingsley here; Foster in Agatha) voiced Toby for Year of the Pig (2006)
  • Rachel Atkins (Sister here; Mrs. Reynolds for Hallowe'en Party; Lettice for The Murder at the Vicarage, both 1993) voiced Queen Aethelfrid/Dr. Angeline Duchamp for The Lady of Mercia (2013), Lieutenant Jane Lucas for The Screaming Skull (2014), Sol for Intervention Earth, Susannah for The Tears of Isis (both 2015), Bishop for Maurice, Madame Sosostris for Masterpiece, Juno for Maker of Demons, Myla for The Age of Endurance (all 2016), Minister for Embankment Station, Major Destra for The Good Master (both 2017), Margot for Goodbye Piccadilly (2018), Ro-Jedda for Torchwood (2019), Zarda for Do No Harm, Governor Crompton for Like, Sarathin for The Enemy of My Enemy (all 2020), Cathrin Travers for Faustian, Dresha for Colony of Fear (both 2021), Captain Argento for Morbius (2024), and Vargeth for Cybergene (2026)
  • Wendy Richard [born Emerton] (Mrs. Crump) reprised her EastEnders role of Pauline Fowler for Dimensions in Time 
  • for Greg Bennett, Damian Timmer, Sean Clayton and Nigel Squibbs see The Body in the Library
  • for Tom Lucy see At Bertram's Hotel
  • Gavin Walters (series gaffer here & Poirot) was an electrician on Love & Monsters

Doctor Who On This Day #165

 

1937 - Director Michael Ferguson born
in Surrey
1939 - Designer Martin Johnson born
 in London
1965 - Marco Polo, Episode 1: The Roof
of the World repeated and The Keys of
Marinus, Episode 3: The Screaming
Jungle first screened, both on ABC
1968 - The Reign of Terror, Episode 4:
The Tyrant  of France and The Romans,
Episodes 1 and 4 all repeated on TV1
1969 - The War Games, Episode 9 first
screened on BBC1
1970 - The Mind Robber, Episodes 2 and
3 both repeated on ABC
1971 - The Enemy of the World, Episodes
 4 to 6 repeated and The Web of Fear,
Episode 1 first screened, all on TV1
1975 - The Monster of Peladon, Part 6
repeated on ABC
1976 - The Brain of Morbius, Part 3 first
 screened on TROS 
1979 - The Three Doctors, Episode 1 and
Carnival of Monsters, Episode 3 both
repeated on ABC
1982 - The Sontaran Experiment
Omnibus repeated on WTTW 11
1983 - The Three Doctors, Episode 1 and Frontier
in Space, Episode 6 both repeated on ABC; and
The Seeds of Doom, Part 2 repeated on KQED Plus
1984 - The Sun Makers, Part 1 repeated on KQED
Plus; and Terminus, Part 2 repeated on ABC
1985 - The Silurians, Episode 5 repeated on KQED
Plus and Episodes 6 and 7 both repeated on TV2
1987 - Mawdryn Undead Omnibus
both repeated on KQED Plus
1988 - The Ark in Space, Part 2 repeated
 on Super Channel; Full Circle, Part 1
repeated on TV2; and Kinda, Part 4
repeated on KQED Plus
1989 - Genesis of the Daleks, Part 6 repeated
on KQED Plus; and Terror of the Zygons, Part
2 repeated on TV de Galicia
1990 - Mindwarp, Part 6 repeated on KQED Plus
1991 - The Leisure Hive, Part 4 repeated
 on KQED Plus
1993 - The Mind of Evil, Episode 2 repeated on UK
Gold; Full Circle Omnibus repeated on KQED Plus;
and The Twin Dilemma, Part 2 repeated on ABC
1994 - Logopolis, Part 3 repeated on UK Gold
1995 - The Time Monster, Episode 2 repeated on UK
 Gold; and The Twin Dilemma, Part 4 repeated on VOX
1997 - The Time Monster Omnibus repeated on UKTV
 (Aus); and Planet of the Spiders, Part 4 repeated on ZTV
1998 - The Aztecs, Episode 4: The Day of Darkness
 repeated on Space; and Paradise Towers Omnibus 
repeated on UK Gold
1999 - The Silurians, Episode 6 repeated on Space;
The Face of Evil Omnibus repeated on KQED Plus; and
The Invasion of Time, Part 4 repeated on UKTV (Aus)
2000 - The Sensorites, Episode 2: The Unwilling Warriors
 first screened on Prime; and The War Games, Episode 10
 repeated on UKTV (Aus)
2001 - The Deadly Assassin, Parts 1 and 2 both repeated
 on BBC America; Destiny of the Daleks, Part 4 repeated 
on UKTV (Aus); and Enlightenment, Part 1 repeated on 
BBC Prime
2002 - The Sun Makers, Part 4 repeated on BBC Kids 
(Can); and Warriors of the Deep, Parts 1 and 2 both
 repeated on NHPTV
2003 - The Seeds of Doom, Parts 3 and 4 both repeated
 on BBC Kids (Can); The Masque of Mandragora Omnibus
 repeated on UK Gold; Mawdryn Undead Omnibus repeated
 on KERA; and The Greatest Show in the Galaxy Omnibus 
repeated on Colorado PTV
2004 - Colony in Space, Episode 4 repeated on ABC
2005 - Nightmare of Eden, Part 4 repeated on ABC
2006 - Aliens of London repeated on Ztéle; an
The Empty Child repeated on People+ Arts (Spa)
2007 - The Empty Child and Doctor Who Confidential:
Special Effects both first screened on WLIW 21; and
Army of Ghosts first screened on People+ Arts (LA)
2008 - The Daemons, Episode 5 and Day of the Daleks,
Episode 1 both repeated on MTV3 SciFi and TV4; The
End of the World repeated on KLCS; The Unquiet Dead
repeated on Syfy (Rus); World War Three and Doctor
Who Confidential: Why On Earth? both repeated on
WLIW 21; The Doctor Dances repeated on Jimmy;
Tooth and Claw repeated on UK Gold; Fear Her first
screened on OETA; The Unicorn and the Wasp first
screened on Syfy (US); Midnight first screened
on BBC1; Doctor Who Confidential: Look Who's
Talking first screened on BBC3; and Dr. Who
and the Daleks screened on Syfy (Spa)
2009 - Love & Monsters first screened on
Ozarks PTV; Army of Ghosts repeated on
TV3 (RI); Daleks in Manhattan repeated
on WXXI; The Lazarus
Experiment and Doctor Who Confidential:
Monsters Inc. both repeated on Idaho PTV;
Utopia first screened on WTVP; The Sound 
of Drums and Doctor Who Confidential: The
Saxon Mystery both first screened on MPTV;
and Partners in Crime repeated on Syfy (Ben)
2010 - Rose repeated on Syfy (Rus); The Doctor Dances 
and Boom Town both repeated on Syfy (FRG); Tooth and
 Claw, Silence in the Library and Forest of the Dead all
 repeated on Syfy (Spa); The Girl in the Fireplace, Blink
The Sound of Drums, Last of the Time Lords, The Stolen 
Earth and Journey's End all repeated and Greatest
Moments: The Enemies first screened, all on UKTV
(Aus); The Lodger repeated on BBC HD; and The
Scapegoat, Episode 1 repeated on Radio 7
2011 - Snakedance, Parts 1 and 2 both repeated on
MTV3 SciFi, TV2 and TV4; Utopia repeated on Watch;
The Stolen Earth and Journey's End both repeated on 
Space; Amy's Choice and Doctor Who Confidential
Cutdown: Arthurian Legend both repeated
 on UKTV (Aus); The Pandorica Opens
repeated on BBC America; and Greatest
Moments: Hostile Humans first screened on ABC2
2012 - Gridlock and Doctor Who Confidential
Cutdown: Are We There Yet? both repeated on
ABC2; and Resistance is Useless repeated on
 MTV3 SciFi and TV4
2013 - The Shakespeare Code repeated on Syfy (Port);
Vincent and the Doctor repeated on Watch; The Almost 
People repeated on Syfy (Spa); A Good Man Goes to War 
first screened on YLE TV2; Doctor Who Confidential: The 
Writer's Tale repeated on BBC Entertainment AP; and
Doctor Who Confidential Cutdown: About a Boy
repeated on UKTV
2014 - Death to the Daleks Omnibus repeated on
Horror; The Deadly Assassin, Parts 2 to 4, The Robots
of Death, Parts 1 and 2, Frontios, Parts 2 to 4, Boom
Town, Bad Wolf, The Parting of the Ways, The Christmas
Invasion and New Earth all repeated on Syfy (Aus);
School Reunion, Partners in Crime and The Fires of
Pompeii all repeated on RAI4;
Smith and Jones repeated on KCPT2; The Girl in the
Fireplace and Rise of the Cybermen both repeated
on Space; The Unicorn and the Wasp, Silence in
the Library, Forest of the Dead, Midnight and Turn
 Left all repeated on Fox (FRG); The Time of Angels
repeated on Syfy (Port); Flesh and Stone repeated
on Syfy (Port) and OETA; The Vampires of Venice,
Amy's Choice and The Hungry Earth all repeated on
BBC Nordic HD and BBC Polska HD; Vincent and the 
Doctor, The Pandorica Opens and The Big Bang all 
repeated on BBC America; The Impossible Astronaut
repeated on Jeem TV (ME); The Rebel Flesh repeated
 on Syfy (Ben); The Almost People repeated on Syfy
 (Ben) and France 4; A Good Man Goes to War
 repeated on Syfy (Spa), Syfy (Ben) and France 4;
The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe repeated
on ABC2 and France 4; The Power of Three and
The Angels Take Manhattan both repeated on BBC
Nordic; The Bells of Saint John, The Rings of
Akahten and Cold War all repeated on Really
Scary TV; Nightmare in Silver repeated on
UKTV (NZ) and France 4; The Name of the
Doctor repeated on BBC3, BBC Entertainment
EU, Rom, ME and France 4; Doctor Who 
Explained repeated on ABC2; and Doctor Who 
Confidential: War Games and Best of the 
Doctor repeated on BBC Entertainment EU, 
Romania and ME
2015 - The Mind of Evil, Episodes 4 to 6 and
The Claws of Axos, Part 1 all repeated on Retro
 TV; The Brain of Morbius, Part 4 repeated on
KPTS; Horror of Fang Rock Omnibus repeated
on Horror; State of Decay, Part 4 and Warriors'
Gate, Parts 1 and 2 all repeated on Syfy (Aus);
Snakedance, Parts 1 and 2 both repeated
 on KBTC; Battlefield Omnibus,
The God Complex, Closing Time,
The Wedding of River Song and The 
Crimson Horror all repeated on Watch; Boom Town and Bad Wolf both
repeated on France 4; Tooth and Claw first screened on Disney XD (US);
Love & Monsters and Fear Her both repeated on UNC-TV; Doomsday and
Doctor Who Confidential: Finale both repeated on Iowa PTV; Voyage of 
the Damned repeated on BBC America; The Lazarus Experiment 
repeated on WILL; Human Nature, The Family of Blood, Blink and Utopia 
all repeated on EBRU; The Waters of Mars repeated on KLRU; Flesh and 
Stone and Doctor Who Confidential: Ship Ahoy! both repeated on BBC 
Entertainment AP; Vincent and the Doctor and Doctor Who 
Confidential: A Brush With Genius both repeated on BBC Entertainment
 EU, Romania and ME; The Big Bang repeated on KCPT; Night Terrors
repeated on OETA; Asylum of the Daleks, Dinosaurs on a 
Spaceship, A Town Called Mercy, The Angels Take Manhattan, The Bells 
of Saint John and The Rings of Akhaten all repeated on BBC Nordic HD 
and BBC Polska HD; The Power of Three repeated on BBC Nordic HD, BBC
 Polska HD, Syfy (Aus) and WPT; Nightmare in Silver repeated on MPTV; 
and Trail of the White Worm repeated on Radio 4 Extra
2016 - Battlefield, Parts 1 and 2 both repeated on Retro TV; 
Fear Her repeated on Watch; The Sontaran Stratagem and
The Poison Sky both repeated on BBC Polska HD;
Flesh and Stone and Flatline both repeated on Syfy (Aus);
The Vampires
of Venice repeated on Syfy (LA); The Big Bang repeated on
TV Cultura; Closing Time repeated on Space; The Wedding of 
River Song repeated on Einsfestival; Asylum of the Daleks
 repeated on Syfy (Spa); Dinosaurs on a Spaceship 
repeated on ABC2; The Day of the Doctor repeated on BBC 
Entertainment AP and Syfy (Aus); Listen repeated on BBC 
First (ME) and YLE TV2; and The Zygon Invasion repeated 
on Syfy (Bra)
2017 - The Romans, Episodes 1 and 2 both repeated on 
Retro TV; The Masque of Mandragora, Part 2 repeated on 
The Zone; The Unquiet Dead repeated on Syfy (Aus); The
Age of Steel and The Idiot's Lantern both repeated on RAI4;
The Power of Three and The Angels Take Manhattan
both repeated on Syfy (Bra); The Snowmen, Part 2 (of 2)
repeated on FX (Ind); Cold War repeated on BBC Polska 
HD; Into the Dalek, Robot of Sherwood, The Caretaker and
Kill the Moon all repeated on BBC America; and Listen and
 Time Heist both repeated on BBC America and Syfy (LA)
2018 - The Silurians, Episodes 6 and 7 both repeated on
Retro TV; The Sea Devils and The Mutants Omnibuses both
streamed on Twitch TV; Love & Monsters repeated on BBC
Polska HD; and Mummy on the Orient Express repeated on
Star World Premiere
2019 - Carnival of Monsters, Episodes 1 and 2 both repeated 
on Retro TV; The Leisure Hive, Part 4 and Full Circle, Parts 1
and 2 all repeated on Jones! too; Love & Monsters repeated
on Syfy (Fra); The Doctor's Wife repeated on BBC Polska HD;
 Deep Breath repeated on Sony SciFi; The Return of Doctor 
Mysterio and The Pilot both repeated on Fox (FRG); and
Extremis repeated on BBC Entertainment EU
2020 - The Romans Omnibus repeated on Iowa PTV;
The Masque of Mandragora Omnibus repeated on Retro
TV; The Ribos Operation Omnibus repeated on MPTV;
The Sontaran Stratagem, The Poison Sky and The
Doctor's Daughter all repeated on Sony SciFi;
The
Unicorn and the Wasp and Silence in the Library both
repeated on W and Sony SciFi; Forest of the Dead,
Midnight, Turn Left and The Stolen Earth all repeated
on W; Flesh and Stone, The Vampires of Venice, Amy's 
Choice and The Hungry Earth all repeated on BBC 
Turkey; Night Terrors and The Girl Who Waited both
repeated on One ARD; The Woman Who Fell to Earth
both repeated on BBC Polska HD; It Takes You Away
repeated on Fox (FRG); and Spyfall, Parts 1 and 2
both first screened on RAI4
2021 - Last Christmas repeated
on ABC2; and Ascension of the
Cybermen and The Timeless
Children both repeated on Fox (FRG)
2022 - The Rebel Flesh repeated
on Fox SciFi
2024 - The Doctor Dances repeated
on ABC Entertains; and Rogue
repeated on BBC2
2025 - Thin Ice repeated on ABC
Entertains
2026 - The Twin Dilemma, Parts
3 and 4 both repeated on KBTC