Thoughts on Kill the Moon

Okay let's take from the top here, Courtney is a juvenile delinquent, it seems, stealing psychic paper to buy alcohol and such, and Clara wonders why the Doctor doesn't see her as special? He took her traveling because he was bored and she was being annoying, not because he thought she would make a great companion. I would imagine there was a bit of his ego involved also considering he has no one to show to at the moment either. I wish they would write Courtney a bit more like the actress who is playing her. Ellis George seen in the Doctor Who Extras seems to be very likable and a joy to be around, while Courtney is an abrasive, self centered, and rude teen.  Her line on the moon was fantastic "one small thing for a thing..one enormous thing for a thingy thing." She echoes Twelves love of using the word thing here. I think perhaps the Doctor doesn't like her because they are similar in many ways. Even her nickname of Destructive Influence can apply to him. 
  Interesting point the Doctor makes in the first five minutes that he isn't sure how many regenerations he has now. Perhaps another 12 or perhaps infinite. I am hoping they will use this to establish that there is no limit any longer, fingers crossed for the future.
  "Second hand space shuttle, third hand astronauts." describes the situation pretty well. The space program appears to be quite dead in the water in 2049. Tony Osoba previously appeared in the classic serials Destiny of the Daleks and Dragonfire by the way. Watch the Extra and you can see from back in the day with funky braids. I find it hard to believe they would bring no weapons at all though. If I were being sent somewhere where the astronauts were slaughtered I would bring something to defend my self with, and really who walks down to investigate a noise in a cave with no protection. I loved the way the Doctor jumped in to investigate  armed with cleaning spray and I am really loving his theme. It is much more cinematic.
  "The moon is an egg." Bit of a stretch, but I like it. The episode turns into an abortion debate for a moment, debating the life of an infant over the possible life of billions. I really dislike Vundlik. Her immediate response of "can we kill it" just made me angry. I suspect that is why the Doctor does leave. I think he predicted how it should play out and that it was a choice humans had to make for themselves. Left alone Vundlik would have set off the nukes killing the creature outright and possibly denying humans a future in space. I was really hoping it was the space whale from previously. it would have tied in so well. The Doctor leaves Clara knowing, trusting that she will make the right choice. He has faith in her. Clara on the other hand seems to have lost all faith and confidence in the Doctor for the first time since his change. Her anger to me is unjustified and petty. I think the rumors of Jenna leaving are true and as of now I would be glad to see her go. No more fence sitting, I think she wants her life and a life of travel in the Tardis and you cannot have both.
  Clara gets mad that the Doctor won't tell her what to do. How many times has he done that before and she would just go on and do what she wanted. Yet now she gets mad. Now she is angry and untrusting. I always gave Clara props for arguing her case, but here she just throws up her hands and begs to be told what to do. She then gets angry when the Doctor leaves her to make the choice herself. Whether he already knew the outcome or not, he is trying to teach Clara an important lesson in making her own choices and trusting it is the right choice. Her anger at being forced to choose is petty and juvenile to say the least. The Doctor explains quite clearly that it is her choice to make and really has been made already, Clara just shows an amazing lack of faith here for her friend and his judgement.
  More hints are made to Danny's past when he holds Clara and remarks that he got smart because he had a really bad day. I would love to see more of Pink and his past. Five more episodes to go, hopefully one will be on his past and why he left the army like he did. All in all I would say this episode rates about a 8/10 in my book. Hope the series continues along this path and keeps knocking them out of the park.

Mummy On The Orient Express: Next Time Trailer

Kill the Moon - Doctor Who Extra

Kill the Moon Promo Pics

Posted HERE. I love the cinematic look of these. I wonder how blown away we are going to be by the end of this season?

Evelyn Smythe, Maggie Stables, Rests in Peace

From Big Finish today: "It is with the greatest sorrow that we regret to report the death of actress Maggie Stables, who many Big Finish Doctor Who listeners knew as the Sixth Doctor's companion, Evelyn Smythe.

 
Maggie died peacefully in her sleep on the night of Friday the 26th of September after a long illness.
Big Finish Executive Producer Nick Briggs: 'I met Maggie many years ago when we worked together on a national theatre tour of Jane Eyre, in which Maggie superbly played the sinister role of Grace Poole. After that, Maggie was instrumental in getting me a job in the Theatre Royal Nottingham Thriller season, recommending me to the late producer, Colin McIntyre.
'I was keen to get her involved in the Big Finish audios, casting her as the gruff Ruthley in our very first Doctor Who release, The Sirens of Time. It wasn't long before my friend and producer Gary Russell spotted her and saw her as potential 'companion' material. Evelyn Smythe made Doctor Who history. The first, dare I say it, 'elderly' companion of the Doctor's. Maggie was superb in the role and she and her Doctor, Colin Baker, immediately hit it off. And even though Maggie appeared in two 'final' adventures for Evelyn, it was always our intention to continue working with her -- such is the advantage of time travel. I was very pleased to welcome her back for another trilogy in 2011.
'As a friend of Maggie's, I knew she had suffered and largely recovered from serious illness before that recording, but it was clear to me that she was still too poorly to continue with the rigours of studio work -- even though you would never have known from her great performance. Always the professional.
'Maggie was such a lovely, warm person who did a fantastic job of playing Evelyn. She was extremely popular with our listeners and always a delight to work with. I have many fond and sometimes raucous memories of working with her in Doctor Who and on stage. Unfortunately, my favourite Maggie anecdotes are far too naughty to repeat here. Suffice it to say, she had a very saucy laugh and a twinkle in her eye. Some of my warmest memories of her involve her sometimes shockingly blunt use of a put-down aimed at me... but it was always followed by that infectious laugh of hers.
'I shall always be grateful for the support and affection she gave to me and for all the laughs we shared along the way.'
Our thoughts are with Maggie's dear friends and family at this very sad time.

The Caretaker Doctor Who Extras!!!!!

Kill the Moon Next Time Trailer

Doctor Who Series 8 ‘Kill the Moon’ Preview

Katy Manning visited the set of Doctor Who

Caretaker Retro Poster

Mummy on the Orient Express Synopsis Revealed

The Doctor and Clara are on the most beautiful train in history, speeding among the stars of the future – but they are unaware that a deadly creature is stalking the passengers.
Once you see the horrifying Mummy you only have 66 seconds to live. No exceptions, no reprieve. As the Doctor races against the clock Clara sees him at his deadliest and most ruthless. Will he work out how to defeat the Mummy? Start the clock!
 Airing Saturday 11 October at 8.30pm on BBC One.

Craig Ferguson Used to Be in a Band with Doctor Who

Listen extras!!

Punk Rock Doctor?

BTS of The Caretaker with Steven Moffat

Teaser from The Caretaker

Time Heist Extras!!

The Caretaker: Next Time Trailer

Time Heist Preview clip

Time Heist Trailer

Retro poster for Listen

"Listen" Preview clip Doctor Who

I cannot wait to see this episode on Saturday! I have watched the unedited cut and I want to see the finished product so very badly. I think this may turn out to be my favorite episode of the whole series.

2011 NTA Doctor who opening

An actor, David Burton was almost the 8th Doctor???

I stumbled across this on YT and would love to see more. Paul Bernard went and filmed a pilot and everything, changing the familiar blue box to a red one. In 1991, Doctor Who Magazine reported on claims that an independent production company had made pilots for a new series, starring an actor called David Burton as the eighth incarnation of the Doctor.

DOCTOR WHO 50TH - 9 recalls the Time war ( RE-CUT )

Nice concept, blends well in some places not so much in others. I can't imagine the fan glee if 9 had returned for the 50th.

Doctor Who Ultimate Tribute by Lenonymous

Very well done tribute. Bit long, but will make you quite misty eyed throughout. As always subscribe and like please.

Easter egg from Danny Pinks classroom

Robots of Sherwood clip

Retro Robots of Sherwood poster

      I can just imagine this hanging at a drive in.

BBC Cuts Robot of Sherwood Scene

A beheading sequence from the climax of this Saturday’s episode of Doctor Who, Robot of Sherwood, has been edited out by the BBC as a mark of respect in the light of recent news events in Iraq and Syria.

The edit has been made to remove a decapitation in the climatic fight scene between Robin Hood and the Sheriff; something that could be deemed insensitive after two US journalists were killed by IS (Islamic State) militants in the past month.

Robot of Sherwood is written by Mark Gatiss and was filmed in February, long before the IS hit the headlines. It centres around Peter Capaldi’s twelfth Doctor and Jenna Coleman’s Clara meeting the flamboyant Robin Hood, played by Tom Riley.
A spokesman for the BBC said: “In light of recent news events, we have made an edit to episode three out of respect.”

Neil Gaiman Wants to Bring Back the Yeti

If Neil Gaiman returns for Series 8, he has his sights set on bringing back the Yeti.
The monsters first appeared in second Doctor story, The Abominable Snowmen, originally broadcast in 1967. They came back the following year in The Web of Fear and were controlled by the Great Intelligence.
“In my head, I love that the Great Intelligence has come back, but I miss the Yeti.  I would love to have huge shambling robotic Yeti, just because I loved them when I was a kid.  So, I would love to do that.  That would be wonderful."
But he also wants to create his own iconic monster:  “I’d love to create a monster, and have it be one that’s interesting enough or fun enough to come back, written by somebody else, or turn up completely reinvented.  I’d love to do that and have the feeling that you’d actually left something behind.  I think that’s hard.  I love that Terry Nation left us the Daleks, and I love that Kit Pedler and Gerry Davis left us the Cybermen.
As before, Gaiman’s admits the biggest problem with coming back is finding time in his schedule: “The trouble with everything, these days, for me, is time.  There is only one me.  There are a ridiculous number of demands on my time.  There are so many things I’m trying to do.  It’s so much more about when I’m going to get time to do it, if I get time.  I think they’ll have me back.  They seem to like me at Doctor Who, and I know that I definitely like them. “

Robot of Sherwood: Next time on Doctor who

Doctor Who "Deep Breath" extra

I am assuming the poster of the vid altered it to avoid being deleted. If you can look past the sped up voices and the horrible place card it is an interesting look behind the scenes. The look of joy on Capaldi's face as he says " I am Peter Capaldi and I am the Doctor." is priceless.

The companion's companion interview: Sam Anderson

I’m the companion’s companion! Those are the kind of things I’ve been hiding until I read an interview with Jenna and it’s like, “Oh right, she said it. Okay.” Click the pic to read the full interview.

"You haven't met Danny Pink have you..." You will this Saturday

The shy soldier turned schoolteacher will be introduced this Saturday in the episode titled "Into the Dalek."
In this episode you will meet the shy young man that will have a huge impact on Clara Oswald and a Dalek like none other we have ever met. Danny Pink is played by Samuel Anderson.

Doctor Who Actor Bill Kerr dies, aged 92.

Australian actor Bill Kerr has died in Perth aged 92.
His role as Giles Kent in Doctor Who adventure The Enemy of the World saw him sharing the screen with Patrick Troughton, the second Doctor.
Believed missing for many years, a complete version of the six-part story, originally broadcast in 1967-68, was found last year at a TV station in Nigeria.

Tom Baker: In Confidence

Into the Dalek clip

I love how he doesn't cater or care if anyone particularly likes him or not. He just shows up and starts at it.

The new Doctor was thinking of cosplayers when he chose his new outfit...

On top of being a fantastic choice for the 12th Doctor Peter Capaldi is a huge Doctor Who fan. He was asked about his costume choice and answered, “I wanted to wear something that people could emulate without going to any great expense.” Capaldi mentioned an early version of the costume from his  50th anniversary cameo that never made it on screen. “From the start at the back of my head I had a dark thing going. When I appeared in the 50^th, which was only this [gesturing at his eyes], we had thrown together a costume just in case, and we had got the dark coat and dark trousers and I thought ‘oh this all looks quite good’.”

He admits to later going through the whole wardrobe room, “We went round with lots of scarves and velvet jackets and floppy hats (everybody wants you in a floppy hat) and I wanted to be starker than that, sharper. But really it’s just a matter of trying stuff on until you feel like the Doctor, and when I tried that stuff on, I felt like the Doctor. I always thought of Doctor Who as being in dark colors, I guess because I grew up seeing the show in black and white.”

Somehow I just couldn't see him in a big floppy hat.....

A beautiful tribute to 11 by KatrinDepp

As always subscribe and give her a thumbs up if you enjoy it. I admit I did get a bit misty eyed. Fantastic work as always.

The 8th Doctors theme from Big Finish

I like it. You can hear similarities to 11's

Clips from Doctor Who Live

Matt says goodbye. You can tell he loved the role and is sad to go. God I will miss him. He did the name proud.

This one was before the announcement was made. Interesting to see Stephen Hawking wanted a female Doctor.

BFI interview with Steven Moffat, Jenna Louise Coleman, and Peter Capaldi

Jenna basically says Clara was not just sad at the factThe Doctor changed his face, but that Clara dislikes that she doesn't know how to control him anymore. Interesting, so they are really playing up the control freak aspect. Moffat jokingly tells of his first meeting with Capaldi, and just why he picked an older Doctor. And goes on to talk about flirting in classic Who. The interview is lovely, wish it was longer. It is nice to see the respect Capaldi has for his role.

SFW Doctor Who Porn parody review

This is not my safe for work review. I found it on Reddit and had to post a link. Looks pretty funny all in all.
Some of the actors seem to favor their TV counterparts. Rated R for the use of the F word there is no nudity, Sorry. Click the pic and Enjoy.

Doctor Who comes to Minecraft on Xbox

Doctor Who is set to become “Blocktor Who” when characters from the series arrive on the Xbox 360 edition of Minecraft in September.
Available on over 84 million Xbox devices worldwide, a deal between BBC Worldwide and developers Microsoft Studios and Mojang will give Minecraft players access to a range of Doctor Who assets, allowing them to change their avatar to resemble their favourite characters from the show.
The first pack – priced at just $2.99/£1.99/€2.85/$2.95AUS – will include a character inspired by the Twelfth Doctor, plus five other Doctors, each of their on-screen companions and some of the Doctor’s most well known adversaries including his arch-nemeses, the Daleks.

The deal will bring more packs as time goes on, introducing many of the most recognisable characters from the past 50 years of Doctor Who. Each skin pack will feature at least six Doctors and will be released regularly following the broadcast episodes in Series 8.
Rikesh Desai, Digital Entertainment and Games Director at BBC Worldwide UK says “We’re constantly looking for new and innovative ways to bring Doctor Who content to our loyal fans. Working collaboratively with Microsoft, we’ve created an exciting new product which will allow Doctor Who fans to create their own brand new adventures in the heart of the iconic world of Minecraft.”

Minecraft is one of the fastest selling Xbox game of all time with over 13 million sales to date. The deal to bring Doctor Who to Minecraft builds on BBC Worldwide’s successful partnership with Microsoft, which has seen Microsoft publish Forza racing games complete with Top Gear themed challenges and features.
Minecraft is a game about breaking and placing blocks. At first, people built structures to protect against nocturnal monsters, but as the game grew, players worked together to create wonderful, imaginative things. It can also be about adventuring with friends or watching the sun rise over a blocky ocean. It’s pretty. Brave players battle terrible things in The Nether, which is more scary than pretty. You can also visit a land of mushrooms if it sounds more like your cup of tea.

Check out Ace it's Youtube videos on his Minecraft Tardis. He has put a lot of work into it. Please like and subscribe if you want to see more from him.

 

Critics hail Capadi's debut

 Critics are praising Peter Capaldi for his debut in "Deep Breath" saying he has all the hallmarks of a great Doctor. Richard Beech of The Mirror said "If you watched Deep Breath and you don't want to watch the rest of series 8, then there truly is something wrong with you."

 The show received a mixed reception on Twitter, with some viewers deeming 56-year-old Capaldi "brilliant" and "amazing", while others describing the episode as "middle of the road" and "gimmicky".
While on Facebook many praised the new portrayal, but panned the story. I read many casual viewers that commented on the change of face as a blow to their children and they would no longer watch. If you have young children and they cannot grasp how the dynamics  of the show works, I would think letting them watch and not fully explaining was your fault not the writers.

Reddit, of course, was a hot bed of Moffat hate. Many panned the plot and the pacing while most said "There was absolutely no need for the dinosour. It's not like if the dinosaur wasn't there or mentioned we'd all be saying "that episode needed a dinosaur". I saw the dinosaur as fun for the smaller children and there to show how long the bad guys had been on our planet, perhaps they could have just mentioned it in passing with dialogue, but it led to a great visual display also used it in the translation scene to describe how the dinosaur was feeling also similar to how the doctor was feeling, all alone last of its kind. It also showed hoe the Doctor was hurt that Clara just did not see him.

 A small majority of "fan girls" cried about the new age of the Doctor saying "The audience wants young and vibrant doctors and they wont be guilted into accepting the old man. What does regeneration mean literally?"
These NuWho fans always give themselves away by not understanding that The Doctor can literally be anyone and look any way.  And of course the River Song, Rani, Master, Omega theories are running rampant with the appearance of the foe at the end.

All in all the hype was justified in my eyes. It was a solid story with great comedic elements. We finally have a Doctor who won't be a tumbler girls wet dream. And perhaps we can get back to great science fiction rather than who is shipping who.

Why I don't think the Doctor killed the Robot Controller

 There has been much debate over whether the 12th Doctor pushed the Robot Controller, from the series 8 episode Deep Breath, to his death or not and why. Social media was on fire with people complaining how dark and demented The Doctor now seemed. I don't think he was murdered at all. I think the Doctor talked to him and saw he was in pain and helped him do what needed to be done. The Doctor isn't beyond using deadly force, I am in no way saying that. I'm saying that in this instance he didn't have to. I'll explain why.

 The Doctor has killed before. Throughout classic Who he shot Cybermen, destroyed Daleks etc etc. But more often than not it was his companions, such as Leela, that did the dirty work, or he would set his foes up to destroy themselves. When he returned in his 9th incarnation he was weary of killing because of his time spent fighting in the time war as The War Doctor.
 He refused to sacrifice the earth and kill the Daleks, but again along came a companion, Rose, to do the dirty work. Throughout the series the writers have tried to stay in the premise that The Doctor is a pacifist. He mostly is until he literally has no option left but to kill.

 His history is not the question here in this case. The question is did he push the Robot Controller to his death? I don't think so. First we see The Doctor leave Clara with the Robot Controller willingly. Here his is darker than his previous incarnations in NuWho. Why would he put her in danger like this? What is he becoming? But she was never really in danger. He trusted she would talk her way into finding out the plans that the Robot Controller had. He leaves her, disguises himself as a robot using a flesh mask, and brings her back after she attempts to hold her breathe and get away. He is right there with her and deep down she knew it. He reveals himself and says "Hello, hello - rubbish robots from the dawn of time, thank-you for all the gratuitous information. Five foot one and crying - you never stood a chance."
  He nods to Clara as if saying sorry to scare you and then goes on to threaten to blow up the whole room. Clara then refers to him suddenly abandoning her to which The Doctor replies, "Sorry. Well, no, I'm not, you're brilliant on adrenalin." This Doctor shows he is more openly manipulative than 9 through 11.

 The Doctor then goes back on his threat to blow the room and leaves the companions to fight the other robots. He gambles that the gang will stay alive long enough for him to find a solution and follows the RC up into the cafe. There he pours a drink saying "I've got a horrible feeling I'm going to have to kill you. I thought you might appreciate a drink first. I know I would." Again with the threats, but also no follow through. He lets the craft launch then sits and tests the RC asking "What do you think of the view?" He replies "I do not think of it." Correcting his speech patterns The Doctor points out that the RC is barely a droid anymore.
 "There's more human in you than machine. So tell me what you think of the view." He isn't so much stating the fact of it as much as he is testing the RC's reaction here. When the RC goes to the window and replies that it is beautiful the Doctor literally jumps at the chance to argue knowing now that he has a chance to save his friends and stop the RC's plans.

The RC asks "How could you kill me?" And then The Doctor knows, he is certain that this more than machine man wants to die. He clings to the idea of a promise land and is tired of this world. He is almost asking outright for The Doctor to do it for him.The Doctor further presses forward talking as much to himself as to the RC and says "You are a broom. Question: if you take a broom and replace the handle, and then later replace the brush - and you do it over and over again - is it still the same broom. Answer: no, of course it isn't. You have replaced every piece of yourself, mechanical and organic, time and time again - there's not a trace of the original you left." The RC goes on to say "It cannot end." The Doctor replies "It has to. You know it does."

 He is now actively trying to talk the RC into suicide. He opens the doors saying "And there’s only one way out." The RC says "Self-destruction is against my basic programming." The Doctor replies " Murder is against mine." They struggle and are at a stalemate. RC says "You are stronger than you look." The Doctor replies, "I'm hoping you are too...this is over, are you capable of admitting that?" The RC relents and asks "But do you have it in you to murder me?" The RC wants to die. The Doctor replies "Those people down there. They are never small to me. Don't make assumptions about how far I will go to protect them, because I've already come a very long way. And unlike you I don't expect to reach the promised land."

 The RC extinguishes his fire-arm, effectively and visibly giving up. Then The Doctor closes in "You realize of course, one of us is lying about his basic programming." And here is where you can see that The Doctor has won. He has convinced the RC to let go and die. There is a visible pause from the RC. He answers with a voice which breaks with actual emotion and answers simply "Yes."

 If you watch the video below closely you can see it. The writers want you to think he coldly killed the RC, they want you to see how dark and dower the new Doctor is, but it is a lie. I think the Doctor realized the RC was in pain and wanted release. I don't think he murdered him, I would consider it more of a mercy if he did in fact push him. This Doctor weighs his odds, rolls the dice, and acts accordingly to manipulate the odds into his favor. I don't think he is a cold blooded murder at all. What he did can be considered an act of kindness and mercy, because the RC wanted to die and could not do it himself. What do you think?

The Promise by KatrinDepp

I absolutely love this video. This was one of my favorite parts of the 50th anniversary. Please give KatrinDepp a thumbs up and subscribe if you too like her work. Lovely video and very well done!

Song - Jónsi - Kolniður

Deep Breath Review

I have finally found some free time to put down thoughts on the series 8 premiere. I watched Deep Breath once then promptly re-watched again to look over any details I may have missed and I have to say I loved it.
The new titles were wonderful. I particularly loved the gears, very steampunk. I read that a Youtuber was hired after Moffat had seen his re-imagining of the titles. I think the new theme sounds a bit retro harkening back to the 80's and was okay. I have faith Murray Gold will perform admirably throughout the series as always.

I loved that Capaldi has some of the best comedic lines all throughout the whole episode..
  THE DOCTOR
Oh, I wouldn't bother with that, I never bother with sleep, I just do standy-up-catnaps.
VASTRA
Oh really, how interesting - and when do you do those?
THE DOCTOR
Well, generally when anyone else starts talking. I like to skip ahead to my bits, it saves time.

Capaldi has excellent comedic timing with his lines. His Doctor seems to be more dark and manipulative reminding me very much of the Seventh Doctor. The reason he chose this face still seems a bit unclear and may well be answered much later into the series.

I love how The Doctor is getting a bit darker and more manipulative. He allowed Clara to be caught and interrogated by the Robot Controller standing nearby hidden behind the fleshy mask of one of the RC's previous victims. Granted he was there the whole time, but this is a much darker Doctor willingly putting a companion in harms way just to get some answers. I'll say more about that flesh mask in another post.
I liked seeing Vastra, Jenny, and Straxx again and would personally love to see more. I think they hammered the point home that the two were married a bit too much, but Vastra was flirting with Clara quite a bit. The onscreen kiss between Vastra and Jenny was new ground for Who and I applaud the effort even as I have seen others marginalize and deride it.

The fate of the RC at the end and the question of whether he was pushed or jumped is tough, but again more on that later. The cameo at the end seemed like a bit of fan service aimed especially at the fangirls and tumbler addicts, but I also saw it as a way to explain to the children who watch what just happened. It helped to explain that his face may change, but underneath he is still the same Doctor. I loved seeing Matt again and was surprised that the cameo wasn't spoiled due to all the leaks. I have to commend the fans for respecting Who enough not to spoil it for everyone.

 Now we come to Missy. Just who is she, why is she collecting those The Doctor fails to save? I have read theories ranging from her being the Master to her being another incarnation of River. I have my theories and will post them soon also.
All in all I saw the opening episode as very strong, very bold and dark, and very entertaining. Moffat has taken the series in newer and better directions than RTD in my opinion. I cannot wait to see what the rest of the season has to offer.

CBS Morning interview with cast

Rule One

Some times we forget, being a companion is dangerous...

Music: The Prophecy by Audiomachine

Into the Dalek trailer

Welcome to the most dangerous place in the universe… The Daleks are back and the Doctor embarks on his deadliest mission ever.
Into The Dalek will be broadcast on the 30th of August on BBC One.

Beautiful painting of 12 and Clara

New Alicexz original painting of 12 and Clara

Moffat Column for DWM #477

JIM TAYLOR asks: I was just wondering what is the question you thought we should all be asking about Sylvester McCoy in DWM 475? Meanwhile, LEE ZACHARIAH thinks he knows what the question is, and asks: Why is Sylvester McCoy so damn great?

Jim, Lee's question may not be entirely the one I was looking for, but I like it so much, I'm going to answer it anyway. The night of the 50th - of which I've written much angst elsewhere - my handsome clever son, Louis, was sitting next to me in the audience. We were surrounded, as you might imagine, by the great and the good, and he was as cool as ever about that. But then I realised that even he had his limits, because he grabbed my arm and said in awe-struck tones: "Is that Sylvester McCoy???" He spent the rest of the evening demanding a meeting with his favourite Doctor, and eventually I fought free of the press, and got a message to the man himself. I took Louis upstairs, and when Sylvester saw us approaching (and this is why he's great), he leapt up on the sofa, spun his walking stick like a question-marl umbrella, and windmilled his arms as if he was about to fall over. The Seventh Doctor reborn in an instant, and about to fall off a sofa, as my son raced to his rescue.
Sylvester was a truly great Doctor. If you belong to the dwindling number who think anything different, go and watch Remembrance of the Dales, or Survival, or Ghost Light, and pop back here when you've got time to make your apologies. Actually, go and watch Battlefield. Ignore Angry Andrew and Boring Ben last month - what do they know, just because they made it? It's got a cool monster, great gags, and the best-written Brigadier ever. And Knights from another dimension, which is all I need for a decent evening. I think, when I was young and pompous, I didn't quite get how good this era was but I'm glad I do now. And I'm even gladder that Sylvester McCoy didn't stop being the Doctor, just because he left the show.

Many viewer wrote and asked: In The Day of the Doctor, when all the Doctors save Gallifrey, how come the Seventh Doctor appeared both in his question-mark jumper and - looking a little bit older - in his brown jacket and waistcoat? Did he turn up twice?

Oh, it's a Sylvester fest today, isn't it? A Sylv Fest! There you go, a convention title - have it for free, but make sure you invite me. Okay, I've been prepping this one since I noticed the mistake just that bit too late to fix it. But what am I saying?? Mistake?! As if! No, no, it was the time differential shorting out, just like in Time Crash. He was being shunted through his life span by the presence of all the other Doctors. What, he changed his clothes you say? But that's happened before - it's part of the TARDIS, part of him. Haven't you seen the first regeneration? Or Tom Baker's boots turn into Peter Davison's shoes? Ha, I'm on fire today, no question can fox me!

DAN asks: In The Day of the Doctor, the Doctor says he has been preparing for this "all his lives" before his other incarnations arrive to help him save Gallifrey. How did the previous Doctors know what was going to happen, and how were they told? Surely the only one who could have known was the Twelfth?

The Doctors sent a special message back along their time spans, to summon their other selves. I'm quite surprised you haven't noticed that happening throughout the older episodes. See if you can spot all those moments. Write in!

FINLAY WORRALLO asks: Obviously you haven't cast the actors who will play Doctors Thirteen to Twenty-Four yet. But do you have an in-universe reason why they didn't turn up to help the others save Gallifrey?

It was about how long they needed to keep the calculation going. They only needed 13 life-spans, so only the first, erm, 12, erm, 13, erm, whatever-it-is-now-sorry, showed up.

ADAM ORFORD asks: The Twelfth Doctor doesn't like the colour of his kidneys. So what colour are they, for him not to like the,?

They are froon. This is an entirely new colour, which only the Doctor can see.

MARIA SCHMIDT asks: Could you please share with us some more details of the minor characters' backstory? I mean characters like Jenny (how did the Doctor save her when they first met?), Strax (what exactly was he punished for, how exactly did he meet the Doctor?) and Tasha Lem (how, when and where did she meet the Doctor?).

I quite like there being things we don't know - but some of those, if they make good stories, might come up later...

LOUISE POND asks: Does the Doctor use a toilet, and if so is there one in the TARDIS?

We don't want to think about that, do we? Shame on you! But I like your name, so you can stay. Get your mind out of the toilet, though.

PAUL JOHNSON asks: Does the Doctor have a setting on his sonic screwdriver which he uses to make the clothes he and his companions wear, remain clean and undamaged? That could explain why Rose, Amy and Clara never get ladders in their tights.

You've been spending a lot of time looking at legs, haven't you? Behave!!

SIERRA SEIDLER asks: In The Angels Take Manhattan, when the Doctor, Amy and River go into the hotel, why didn't they smash the angels? Can the Angels reconstruct themselves?

Yes, they can. Oh, they can. Next time you're on a beach, remember that sand is basically ground up stone. And be careful where you put your towel. Oh, hang on, that's not bad...

JAMES WHITBY asks: In The Bells of Saint John, Clara told the Doctor she was given his phone number by 'the woman in the shop'. This has never been explained. Who was the woman in the shop?

Keep watching! There will be an answer!

MIKE BOND asks: Over Amy and Rory's final episodes it's established that the gaps between the Doctor's visits are getting longer. By the time they meet Kate Stewart, it's July 2016. How then can Kate meet Clara and the Doctor in 2013 in The Day of the Doctor?

Ah, yes, well, good point. Some may think that question has no good answer. But as I believe I mentioned earlier, I'm on fire this month and can answer ANYTHING, oh yes. Sadly, however, I've run out of space...

Brian Miller, widower of Elisabeth Sladen, plays a bit part in Deep Breath

 Brian Miller is no stranger to Doctor Who by any means. He has performed in various  Doctor Who productions, appearing in the serial  Snakedance(1983), provided Dalek voices in  Resurrection of the Daleks (1984) and  Remembrance of the Daleks(1985), and played the role of 'Wiston' in the 2005 stage production of The Trial of Davros. Miller married actress Elisabeth Sladen in 1968 before she had been
cast as our Sarah Jane Smith in 1973.
  Miller will play a wandering hobo that encounters The Doctor after he has wandered away into the heart
of London and is still suffering from the after effects of his current regeneration. I do love how Who uses
and recycles actors from past roles into new roles again and again.

Moffat Teases “Major Foe” For Series 8

“We’re going to see what haunts the Doctor…”

As ominous as that sounds I cannot wait to see how this series will progress. I have watched the "leaked"
episode of series 8 "Deep Breath" already and can see where this years series is headed already. Last series
and part of the one before, we were faced with the question that can never be answered "Doctor Who?".
This time around it looks as if Moffat is looking more into what kind of man the Doctor is exactly. Watch closely mid way through the first episode and you can see the seeds being planted for a journey of self
discovery of sorts.

Steven Moffat has teased that a “major foe” will be back in Series 8.

I am actually stumped on this one so far. I am not sure if he is referring to a one episode foe, such as the
Daleks or Cybermen, or if he is referring to the foe that will stretch across the series this year and be working
somewhat behind the scenes. Thoughts? Guesses? Rani anyone? [I hope, I hope]

You can read the full article here and watch the video of Capaldi and Coleman along with the man who lies
Moffat.

Watch this blog!

Just a quick note, life got in the way of my fandom. Never will this happen again. Gearing up to go again, be on the lookout for new post, a contest or two, giveaways, and lots of whovian fun.

Stealing Tomorrow

Its slash but elegant and quietly touching so yes i like it

Wallpapers

These are beyond awesome

An elegy of sorts

Walk In The Dust has a lengthy combined review/elegy for Ten that is just beautiful. Read it HERE

Regeneration videos and interview

BAFTA Online's YouTube channel has RTD and Julie Gardner interviewed about the regeneration of Doctor Who [several parts]

New Molloy interview

The Peverett Phile has an interview with actor Terry Molloy, who played Davros in the Classic Series.

New Piper interview

The Guardian Observer's Barbara Ellen interviews Billie Piper, CLICK HERE for the article.

Help buy DT a seat

David-Tennant. com is trying to raise funds to have a seat named after David Tennant in the new Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-Upon- Avon, CLICK HERE for more details.

Vote for DT

David Tennant has been nominated for Hello! Magazine's 'Most Attractive Man Of 2009' award, CLICK HERE for more details and to vote Saxon by January 20th.

Vote here...

Tennant's 'Who' scripts 'almost leaked'

The scripts for the Doctor Who Christmas special were almost leaked, DS has learned.
Sinead Keenan, who played Addams in David Tennant's final outing, has revealed that she left her scripts in a pub shortly after reading them.
"We had to return the scripts to the production office once we'd finished with them," she said.
"After I'd got the part and I'd read through the scripts, I was with my boyfriend at the time and we were having lunch in a pub, and I left them on the seat!
"He went, 'Sinead - where are your scripts?!' and so we went back and got them and luckily it was fine. It was all very confidential and hush-hush."
Recalling the secrecy around the Christmas specials, she added: "It was one of those things that you couldn't tell anyone. Besides, when you get your scripts, every one was watermarked with your name and the date in case it got out.
"And we were never given a full script. It was unbelievable!"
Keenan currently stars in BBC Three's Being Human.

20 Things We Learnt from The Writer’s Tale: The Final Chapter

SFX


As you’ve probably seen reported elsewhere, there was, incredibly, talk of a Torchwood musical, with the blokes from Abba involved! But there are plenty more interesting facts revealed in the book. Here’s 20 things we gleaned from the new edition:

1. David Tennant had a short-lived “wobble” about staying on for the fifth series (before his leaving was announced, mind), and did have a meeting with incoming producer Steven Moffat, in which Moffat laid out his plans for the season.

2. Other ideas were considered for the Easter special. One was very space opera, all dogfights and spaceships, with the Doctor arriving in the midst of a war in space. One of the races involved might have been the Chelonians - man-sized tortoises from Gareth Roberts’s Who novel The Highest Science.

3. Another centred around a deserted hotel, and would have seen weird, spindly-legged alien creatures like centaurs, with singsong voices, freezing Earth in time for a bizarre carnival procession.

4. Yet another was a kind of Star Trek pastiche - essentially “the Doctor on board the Enterprise, puncturing all that Starfleet pomposity with this sheer Doctor-ness”.

5. Speaking of which, back in 2004, a Doctor Who/Star Trek crossover was seriously on their list of plans, until Enterprise was axed.

6. Gareth Roberts’s first treatment for the Easter special involved an outer-space hotel with mysteriously disappearing guests, who were being taken down to the planet below to be implanted with alien eggs (because eggs=Easter, see?). Sounds a bit Battlestar Galactica (70s version) to us.

7. Phil Ford’s first treatment for his special was a sword and sorcery story called “A Midwinter’s Tale”, featuring an alien princess who’s come to Earth to be married. It all ended up with much chasing around through secret corridors underneath Buckingham Palace.

8. Davies considered other options for David Tennant’s final story, too. It could have been a one-parter, which saw the Doctor dying saving a family of four aliens stranded in a small spaceship with a leaky engine. Fixing the engine would have irradiated the Doctor.

9. Instead of the Vinvocci, “The End Of Time” could have featured gloop-faced “runny people” aliens.

10. For two or three days, Russell was planning to bring back the Daleks for “The End Of Time” too. They would have been in an alliance with the Time Lords, and there would have been a Dalek Parliament and a Dalek Minister. He eventually changed his mind after learning that Steven Moffat is using the pepperpots in season five.

11. A line was cut from the scene where the Doctor talks to Wilf on the Vinvocci spaceship. He would have explained that he “was half-human back in 1999 for a couple of days” (a reference to the Paul McGann movie).

12. Who’s that mysterious woman in “The End Of Time”? Here it is from the horse’s mouth: “I like leaving it open, because then you can imagine what you want. I think the fans will say it's Romana. Or even the Rani. Some might say that it's Susan's mother, I suppose. But of course it’s meant to be the Doctor’s mother”.

13. Russell’s nickname for the alien in Torchwood: Children Of Earth became “Smokey the space pelican”, after a kid visiting the set said that it looked like one of the birds!

14. Both Martha and Mickey were originally planned to feature in Children Of Earth. Freema Agyeman became unavailable when she was cast in Law And Order: London. Mickey was only written out a week before the read-through, when Noel Clarke was offered a role in a Michael Winterbottom film.

15. It was also hoped that Martha would team up with Sarah Jane in the climax of season two of The Sarah Jane Adventures. When Freema became unavailable, the Brigadier was used instead.

16. Russell was offered the option to turn The Sarah Jane Adventures into a show airing on Sundays at 5.30pm, which would have required reinventing the series. He decided against it.

17. Mackenzie Crook is very enthusiastic about Doctor Who, and they’ve tried to cast him “a million times”, but the dates have never worked out. He was almost cast as Clive in “Rose”.

18. Davies’s parents were very involved with Swansea rugby club, and used to get Christmas cards from the Foreign Office every year for their part in helping a rugby player defect to the West, back in the ‘50s!

19. When Davies collected his OBE, he asked Prince Charles, “Are those ears real?”

20. Former defence secretary Geoff Hoon is a big Who fan, and owns a sonic screwdriver (Russell was at university with Hoon’s son).

Doctor, Doctor! Gingerism's gone nuts

Click the pic for the article.....

Russell Tovey to join 'Torchwood' team?

John Barrowman has hinted that Russell Tovey is in line to join the Torchwood team.
The pair recently starred alongside each other in the Doctor Who Christmas special when Captain Jack and Alonso Frame met for the first time.
Speaking to Doctor Who magazine, Barrowman described Tovey's character as "the perfect companion" for Jack.
"What I'd love, what I think would be great, is if Midshipman Frame became Jack's companion in Torchwood. He's the perfect companion for Jack.
"It'd be like Batman and Robin. Of course I'm Batman. He's Robin."
Torchwood third series, which aired in July last year, saw fan favorite Ianto Jones killed off in the penultimate episode, leaving just Captain Jack and Eve Myles's Gwen on the team.

New wallpapers

The Doctor and the Master on Facebook

Matt Smith: 'My Doctor is less tolerant'

Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith has said that he will play the role in a different way to his predecessors.

The 27-year-old actor, who takes over from David Tennant this spring, told Doctor Who Magazine that he hopes to bring a new chemistry to the role.

"My character will be less tolerant than a lot of those who have gone before him," he said.

He added of his assistant Amy Pond, played by Karen Gillan: "And Amy's got real fire in her belly. But there's also great affection and love there, and we're developing that all the time."

I'm Still Here

Goodbye Ten

I'm Too Sexy - Fred the Dalek

Its...theres....i....ok there is just no words for this lmao

Memories Of A Scientist

Behind the sofa pulls no punches with RTD

Behind the Sofa Review

The Disappointment of David Tennant's Doctor Who Farewell

I somewhat agree

The Disappointment of David Tennant's Doctor Who Farewell

10th Doctor Tribute

Want

Want by Recoil.
Damn...perfect Doctor/Master song

Say Goodbye

And a few words on Geronimo

Not sure if the Moff is just this damn brillant or if it is happy coincidence but Lieutenant Colonel Byron Paige of the 11th Airborne Division wrote one of the classic WWII paratrooper songs, Down From Heaven to celebrate the relationship of paratroopers to the Geronimo cry. (The number eleven comes from the number of paratroopers in a plane.)


Down from Heaven comes ELEVEN
and there's HELL to pay below
shout "GERONIMO" "GERONIMO".

Hit the silk and check your canopy
and take a look around
The air is full of troopers
set for battle on the ground

Till we join the stick of ANGELS
killed on Leyte and Luzon
shout "GERONIMO" "GERONIMO".

It's a gory road to glory
but we're ready here we go
shout "GERONIMO" "GERONIMO

New Murray Gold interview

Music from the Movies has a new interview with continuing composer Murray Gold

Another Companion Chronicle Reunion!

It's becoming something of a year of reunions for the Companion Chronicles.February sees the release of The Suffering, which brings together Maureen O'Brien as Vicki and Peter Purves as Steven, for the first time since 1965.March brings The Emperor of Eternity, starring Deborah Watling as Victoria and Frazer Hines as Jamie.And in May, Louise Jameson will return as Leela, accompanied by John Leeson as K9, for The Time Vampire. The story, by Nigel Fairs, sees the culmination of the Z-nai storyline which began in Season Two's The Catalyst.

Walesonline says BBC ‘hugely committed’ to Doctor Who

DAVID TENNANT’S popular tenure of the Tardis may have ended but the BBC last night said it remains “hugely committed” to the Doctor Who brand.

The Scottish star’s final outing as the Time Lord attracted more than 10 million viewers on New Year’s Day.

But it also marked the end of an era for the popular sci-fi series, as writer Russell T Davies joined Tennant in severing their links with Doctor Who.

The pair have been integral to the show’s recent success and have been widely hailed for reviving a sleeping giant.

Matt Smith, a 27-year-old Englishman, has taken over as the 11th Doctor.

Tennant’s final appearance on New Year’s Day was the show’s third most viewed installment, but BBC chiefs yesterday predicted an even brighter future for the Doctor.

Julian Payne, head of communications at BBC Vision, told the Western Mail it was a “fantastically exciting” time for fans.

“Doctor Who has regeneration at its very core, and it’s what provides the show with its longevity,” he said.

“We view it as a very exciting opportunity for the show. We remain hugely committed to the brand of Doctor Who in all its forms, and we have a wonderful new team in place who are very excited about taking the show on new adventures.”

The show’s festive special was the highest-rated programme in its prime-time slot.

The End of Time saw The Doctor battle against his nemesis The Master, who possessed every human on the planet.

Super-fan and podcaster Peter Bell, from Cardiff, said the show was a fitting farewell to the show’s leading men.

“I must admit I was a bit disappointed and it was all a bit self-conscious,” the 28-year-old said.

“There was lots of wrapping up loose ends, and it was as much Russell T Davies saying goodbye as it was David Tennant. But it had some great moments and it was the right time to change.”

Mr Bell talked down claims that the show’s popularity may suffer with a new Doctor.

“The story will be continued and it keeps things fresh,” he said.

“It’s weathered such changes in the past so I don’t think we’ll have too many problems.

“Russell T Davies has left a fantastic legacy – Doctor Who was dead and buried when he started and nobody was interested in it.

“He’s made an international hit, and big stars out of David Tennant, Billie Piper and Freema Agyeman. He can definitely sleep soundly.”

Caleb Woodbridge, 24, a clerical assistant from Cardiff who runs his own blog about the smash TV show, added: “Change is a part of Doctor Who and the reason it’s lasted so long is its ability to reinvent itself.

“I think new writer Steven Moffat has a big challenge following such a successful and popular Doctor – but he’s an excellent choice and if anyone can fill Russell T Davies’ shoes, then he’s the man to do it.

“It’s a challenge for Matt Smith too, but judging by his appearance, it does seem that he’s got the energy and quirkiness.

“Nothing lasts forever and Doctor Who has been phenomenally successful, but even if it were to drop a couple of million viewers, it would still be the pick of most TV dramas.”

Mr Payne added: “We can absolutely assure fans of the show that the investment in the new series, in terms of the money and talent that has gone into it, is unparalleled.

“Rather than seeing the regeneration as a negative thing, I think it’s quite the opposite and we fully expect Matt to deliver.

“There are many years of exciting viewing still to come, though we’re enormously grateful for the work Julie Gardner, David Tennant and Russell T Davies have brought to the series.”

oooooooo Amazon.com are selling S4 boxsets with 47% off

Amazon.com are selling S4 boxsets with 47% off

The David Tennant Special - BBC America

Breathing Space | 10th Death

Living On My Own

Goodbye 10th Doctor

David tennant memory will never die

Doctor Who: The Ten Doctors parts 1 and 2

Doctor Who - The Tenth Doctor Regenerates

God i miss him, heres hoping he is up for a few specials...

Doctor Who - Series 5 Trailer

Dear god i hope his new catch phrase isn't Geronimo.....