[matthewn]

If you install the django-extensions package and use runserver_plus instead of runserver, when you hit an exception you get a live REPL in your browser where you can poke around and inspect at will. It's not CL-level power, but it's mighty useful.

[struanr]

For non Django code, the IPython REPL with the %pdb magic enabled drops you in a ipdb debugger on an exception. Doesn't allow resuming but still very useful.