In this episode we talk about the most popular actor to play the Doctor with Tom Baker. We discuss his legacy and why he does rank so high in people’s estimation. We examine the controversies of his era such as whether there was too much violence and how he treated his costars. We also take a firm focus at the three different producers that he worked under and what effect they and their affiliated script editors had on the series and Baker’s performance. We end with our normal lists of favorite companions and favorite stories.
Due to time constraints there is no five-minute controversy this week.
This week Eric, Anthony, and Miranda join the cast.
Show Notes:
Eric’s book on Chessie the sea monster.
Like what you heard? Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/42cast. You can also find us on X as @42cast, Instagram/Threads as 42cast, or Blue Sky as 42cast.bsky.social. We can also be found on Pandora, Amazon Music, Youtube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Please, leave us a review. Have a question for the Ultimate Answer? E-mail us at [email protected].


After a long hiatus due to the writer’s strike, the MCU returned last February with Captain America: Brave New World. While many fans of Falcon and the Winter Soldier had high hopes for this movie, there were concerns about the use of characters from 2008’s Incredible Hulk, the minimal involvement of Bucky Barnes, and the reshoots that resulted in inserting a completely new main character in the form of Sidewinder. In this episode we take a look at the movie as a whole. We analyze the plot and the performances. We debate its impact on the MCU and what forces we believe shaped the story. We also discuss some of the thematic elements and whether or not we feel that they worked in the movie.
The My Little Pony franchise has been around for a long time and has spawned many animated series. In this episode we discuss the Friendship is Magic installment, which lasted from 2010 to 2019. As arguably the most successful incarnation of My Little Pony we examine why that might be. We discuss the characters and why they create interesting hooks for the audience. We talk about the mythology of the series how that interweaves with themes of conflict resolution, mental health, and social situations. We also get into the brony phenomenon, masculine expectations, and why this incarnation of a traditionally girl-focused series may also appeal to boys. Along the way we get into Star Trek crossovers, ponies-as-humans, and “hot” cartoons.
The first season of Loki was one of the most popular Marvel series on Disney+. It only made sense for Marvel to do a second season. In this episode we review the Loki series. We discuss the plot and whether all of the elements work. We talk about unusual performances and new characters. We also get into the Jonathan Majors controversy and how this may have effected this series as well as what we think it means for the MCU storyline moving forward.