Nov 19, 2021
NPR Books Editor Petra Mayer, who has been a longtime contributor to Reality Bomb, died suddenly on November 13. In this special episode Graeme Burk is joined by the Verity! podcast's Deb Stanish to remember Petra and the special enthusiasm she had for Doctor Who. We revisit the highlights of Petra's 26 appearances on the program, and represent four complete segments including Petra's first time on the program, doing a Gallery of the Underrated on the Sylvester McCoy story The Happiness Patrol way back in episode 013 (July 2014); Petra's stinging critique of the lack of women writers in Doctor Who from episode 018 (December 2014); Petra and Deb Stanish at our second New York City live show talking about the enduring power of regeneration in Doctor Who back in episode 038 (September 2016); and finally we have Petra's contribution to our "Variations on a Timeless Child" episode (083) on a retcon that did not please her (to put it mildly) from September 2020.
Petra Mayer will be missed by Doctor Who fans everywhere.