I could listen to J.B. read or talk all day long
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
The Ultimate Doctor Who title mix
This is a thing of beauty. All our Doctors and their themes BRAVVVVO
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Commentary Details
The BBC has revealed that BBC Three repeats of The End of Time will have available an audio commentary from outgoing executive producers Russell T Davies and Julie Gardner.
The commentary for part one will be available on Freeview, Virgin and Sky on Sunday 27th December at 7pm, while the commentary for Part Two will only be on Virgin and Sky on Sunday 3rd January at 7pm. Neither commentary will be available on Freesat.
The commentaries are expected to be broadcast on BBC Radio 7 and thus will be available worldwide on the BBC i-player. Part One had been scheduled for 3am on 26th December, but Part Two has yet to be scheduled.
In addition, the Christmas Eve, 9am, BBC Three repeat of Dreamland will also have a commentary, this time with writer Phil Ford and the director Gary Russell.
The commentary for part one will be available on Freeview, Virgin and Sky on Sunday 27th December at 7pm, while the commentary for Part Two will only be on Virgin and Sky on Sunday 3rd January at 7pm. Neither commentary will be available on Freesat.
The commentaries are expected to be broadcast on BBC Radio 7 and thus will be available worldwide on the BBC i-player. Part One had been scheduled for 3am on 26th December, but Part Two has yet to be scheduled.
In addition, the Christmas Eve, 9am, BBC Three repeat of Dreamland will also have a commentary, this time with writer Phil Ford and the director Gary Russell.
K9 episode titles
Stewart & Wall Entertainment, the Australian production company which has made the new K9 series, has released a list of episode titles for the first half of the 26-episode season. K9 is expected to air on Disney XD in Europe and on Channel Ten in Australia in early 2010.
1. Regeneration
2. Liberation, Part 2 of 1
3. The Korven
4. The Bounty Hunter
5. Sirens of Ceres
6. Fear Itself
7. Fall of the House of Gryffen
8. Jaws of Orthrus
9. Dreameaters
10. The Curse of Anubis
11. Oroborus
12. Alien Avatar
13. Aeolian
1. Regeneration
2. Liberation, Part 2 of 1
3. The Korven
4. The Bounty Hunter
5. Sirens of Ceres
6. Fear Itself
7. Fall of the House of Gryffen
8. Jaws of Orthrus
9. Dreameaters
10. The Curse of Anubis
11. Oroborus
12. Alien Avatar
13. Aeolian
'Doctor Who’s given me the time of my life' - Russell T Davies on leaving Doctor Who
The first Doctor Who Christmas Special was transmitted on December 25 1965. The original Doctor (William Hartnell) was on the run from the Daleks. He landed in Twenties Hollywood, got caught up in a silent movie, then ended the episode by raising a glass and saying, “Merry Christmas to all of you at home” into the camera.
Sadly, that episode no longer exists. It was thrown out of the BBC archives many years ago, before they realised the value of old programmes. Perhaps there’s still a copy somewhere, gathering dust in a collector’s attic or retired technician’s shed. Have a look, would you? It would be a perfect Christmas present.
But then many years passed – cue the ancient creak of the Tardis engines, taking us through the vortex to 40 years later, and the next Christmas Special in 2005. And what a Doctor Who year that turned out to be. That’s when I clambered aboard the Tardis (as head writer and executive producer of the series). I’d spent my entire childhood walking home from school and imagining the sight of that old, wooden police box waiting on the corner for me, its door ajar. Finally, in my forties, it arrived. And I ran towards it, as fast as I could, just like that little Swansea schoolkid of years ago.
It shouldn’t have worked. The things we once loved are gone. We’ve changed and grown and moved on, and the memory only cheats. Except for this time. Doctor Who broke all the rules – everyone said it would never work (yes, even me) but everyone was wrong. When it blazed back into life on March 26 2005, an entire generation remembered. “Oh yes, we love this,” they said, as though coming out of a fog. And a whole new generation said: “Wow!”, as though accusing us: why have you kept this secret all this time?
Of course, we couldn’t have been confident, before transmission. We worked on that first series, in the depths of BBC Wales, worrying that children’s heads were now full of Harry Potter and Star Wars, so they’d have neither the time nor the inclination for an old, Sixties Time Lord. But I think fear helped me. I was so convinced we’d never reach a second series that I poured my heart and soul into the first 13 episodes, in case they were the only ones ever to exist. The one-off 1996 television movie with Paul McGann had single-handedly fuelled a fan-industry of novels and comics for a decade, so I had to pack enough into my 13 stories to keep the fans busy until… well, forever. Because I honestly thought that if 2005 failed, the BBC would never bring the show back again. It was all or nothing.
As a result of that fear, the show was mad and bold and loud, as it ripped from 1869 to the Year 5 Billion, throwing in armies of Daleks, green, flatulent Slitheen, paper-thin Cassandra, Gas Mask Children and even a threat to Cardiff itself. Not to mention an unexpected regeneration. And much to our surprise – it worked. That fearful, adrenalised vigour is the very thing that people latched on to. A lot of television is quite calm, bar the odd car chase, but Doctor Who kicked open the door with a wild, rolling swagger. It’s not an accident that the Doctor’s very first word was “Run”. We haven’t stopped running since.
While we filmed the first series, the possibility of a Christmas Special was mentioned in passing by Big BBC Bosses, under the condition “if the show works”. I shrugged it off – Doctor Who could never be that popular, could it? Not Christmas Day popular, surely. In fact, I doubted it so much that I included a Christmas episode in the first run of 13 – “The Unquiet Dead” by Mark Gatiss, the one with Dickens and the Ghosts, ending with: “God bless us, every one!” It was transmitted in April, because I wanted it to seem odd, like those Thanksgiving episodes of Friends seen in July. What could be better, for a time-travelling show, than an episode which feels out-of-season?
But the new Doctor Who succeeded. The viewers came, stayed and grew, and kept growing for five years, with the ratings and reach going up and out. And the Christmas Special became a tradition. Now, it’s hard to imagine the holiday without it.
As a production team, we’d always have to take a deep breath before tackling a Christmas episode, because they’re bigger and bolder than normal adventures. We realised, early on, that we’d probably get our highest viewing figures of the year on December 25, because all the family – whether that’s an actual family, or the invented family of friends and loved ones, gathers together, and turns to BBC One.
We started with “The Christmas Invasion”, in which the voodoo-like Sycorax loom over London in their stone spaceship. Then, in 2006, we had the romcom capers of “The Runaway Bride”, followed by a disaster movie on board a space-bound Titanic, with “Voyage of the Damned”. Last year saw a giant Cyberman stomping over Victorian London in “The Next Doctor”. And this year, the story has become so massive, we’ve split it into two, with “The End of Time” straddling Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. The final episode stands at an extra-special, longest-yet duration of 75 minutes.
There’s more at stake than usual, this time. It’s a piece of Time Lord history, as David Tennant’s reign as the 10th Doctor comes to an end. It’s been the greatest joy and honour to work with that man, and that team, over the past few years, and I hope I’ve done them proud with my final script – because I’m leaving too, handing the programme over to the safe hands of Steven Moffat. Though it’s damning with faint praise to call Steven “safe” – he’s the man who invented the Weeping Angels, the Clockwork Droids, the skulls-in-spacesuits, and “Are you my mummy?”. If I were you, I’d go and buy a brand new sofa in the January sales – the whole family’s going to need it.
We actually finished filming David’s final story in May and then I went to live and work in Los Angeles. Though even there, there’s no escape – the offices of BBC Worldwide have got a Dalek standing on duty in the lobby. Just this week, Quincy Jones walked past it and Harry Shearer posed alongside the metal monster to have his photograph taken.
But I’ll be coming home for Christmas. To see family and friends, of course, but let’s be honest (sorry dad), it’s mainly to see Doctor Who! OK, I’ve seen the episodes 20 times already – we only finished the post-production work on Wednesday December 12, with my final note saying: “Take down the crunch of those turkey bones a little” – but I can’t miss the actual moment of transmission. The Master, played by John Simm, is back – dying and deadly, and harbouring his most outrageous scheme yet; Wilfred Mott (Bernard Cribbins) is being plagued by strange dreams and mysterious visitations; his granddaughter Donna (Catherine Tate) dares not remember her travels with the Doctor, or she’ll die on the spot; and a mysterious Woman in White, played by the legendary Claire Bloom, brings ominous warnings of death and destruction to come. What a Christmas! Though whether there’s a regeneration on its way, or whether we’ve got some final tricks up our sleeves, you’ll just have to wait and see.
And then I’ll move on, to become a viewer, like the rest of you. And bear in mind, as a dyed-in-the-wool Doctor Who fan, I haven’t been able to watch an unspoilt new series since 1989. I can’t wait.
I’ll take away the happiest of memories. Working with Chris and David, Billie, Freema, Catherine and John. The “monster parades”, where we’d try out new aliens in a Cardiff Portakabin. The day a Dubai docker destroyed our double-decker bus, which was the setting for the entire story. Hooting with laughter at our first attempt at Water Monsters, which involved putting a leaky rubber ring on someone’s head. Watching cars arrive on set, bringing the biggest names for the guest cast – Penelope Wilton, Kylie Minogue, Richard Dawkins, Derek Jacobi, Lesley Sharp, the list is endless.
I will miss this job, so very much. And that’s the perfect time to leave. I think that Swansea schoolkid would be happy with what I’ve done. And somewhere out there, right now, is another child, watching with wide-open eyes, who will one day walk into the offices of BBC 3D HQ, to pitch his or her brand-new version of the Doctor’s 21st incarnation. Because this show, like the very best of legends, will never, ever die.
Sadly, that episode no longer exists. It was thrown out of the BBC archives many years ago, before they realised the value of old programmes. Perhaps there’s still a copy somewhere, gathering dust in a collector’s attic or retired technician’s shed. Have a look, would you? It would be a perfect Christmas present.
But then many years passed – cue the ancient creak of the Tardis engines, taking us through the vortex to 40 years later, and the next Christmas Special in 2005. And what a Doctor Who year that turned out to be. That’s when I clambered aboard the Tardis (as head writer and executive producer of the series). I’d spent my entire childhood walking home from school and imagining the sight of that old, wooden police box waiting on the corner for me, its door ajar. Finally, in my forties, it arrived. And I ran towards it, as fast as I could, just like that little Swansea schoolkid of years ago.
It shouldn’t have worked. The things we once loved are gone. We’ve changed and grown and moved on, and the memory only cheats. Except for this time. Doctor Who broke all the rules – everyone said it would never work (yes, even me) but everyone was wrong. When it blazed back into life on March 26 2005, an entire generation remembered. “Oh yes, we love this,” they said, as though coming out of a fog. And a whole new generation said: “Wow!”, as though accusing us: why have you kept this secret all this time?
Of course, we couldn’t have been confident, before transmission. We worked on that first series, in the depths of BBC Wales, worrying that children’s heads were now full of Harry Potter and Star Wars, so they’d have neither the time nor the inclination for an old, Sixties Time Lord. But I think fear helped me. I was so convinced we’d never reach a second series that I poured my heart and soul into the first 13 episodes, in case they were the only ones ever to exist. The one-off 1996 television movie with Paul McGann had single-handedly fuelled a fan-industry of novels and comics for a decade, so I had to pack enough into my 13 stories to keep the fans busy until… well, forever. Because I honestly thought that if 2005 failed, the BBC would never bring the show back again. It was all or nothing.
As a result of that fear, the show was mad and bold and loud, as it ripped from 1869 to the Year 5 Billion, throwing in armies of Daleks, green, flatulent Slitheen, paper-thin Cassandra, Gas Mask Children and even a threat to Cardiff itself. Not to mention an unexpected regeneration. And much to our surprise – it worked. That fearful, adrenalised vigour is the very thing that people latched on to. A lot of television is quite calm, bar the odd car chase, but Doctor Who kicked open the door with a wild, rolling swagger. It’s not an accident that the Doctor’s very first word was “Run”. We haven’t stopped running since.
While we filmed the first series, the possibility of a Christmas Special was mentioned in passing by Big BBC Bosses, under the condition “if the show works”. I shrugged it off – Doctor Who could never be that popular, could it? Not Christmas Day popular, surely. In fact, I doubted it so much that I included a Christmas episode in the first run of 13 – “The Unquiet Dead” by Mark Gatiss, the one with Dickens and the Ghosts, ending with: “God bless us, every one!” It was transmitted in April, because I wanted it to seem odd, like those Thanksgiving episodes of Friends seen in July. What could be better, for a time-travelling show, than an episode which feels out-of-season?
But the new Doctor Who succeeded. The viewers came, stayed and grew, and kept growing for five years, with the ratings and reach going up and out. And the Christmas Special became a tradition. Now, it’s hard to imagine the holiday without it.
As a production team, we’d always have to take a deep breath before tackling a Christmas episode, because they’re bigger and bolder than normal adventures. We realised, early on, that we’d probably get our highest viewing figures of the year on December 25, because all the family – whether that’s an actual family, or the invented family of friends and loved ones, gathers together, and turns to BBC One.
We started with “The Christmas Invasion”, in which the voodoo-like Sycorax loom over London in their stone spaceship. Then, in 2006, we had the romcom capers of “The Runaway Bride”, followed by a disaster movie on board a space-bound Titanic, with “Voyage of the Damned”. Last year saw a giant Cyberman stomping over Victorian London in “The Next Doctor”. And this year, the story has become so massive, we’ve split it into two, with “The End of Time” straddling Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. The final episode stands at an extra-special, longest-yet duration of 75 minutes.
There’s more at stake than usual, this time. It’s a piece of Time Lord history, as David Tennant’s reign as the 10th Doctor comes to an end. It’s been the greatest joy and honour to work with that man, and that team, over the past few years, and I hope I’ve done them proud with my final script – because I’m leaving too, handing the programme over to the safe hands of Steven Moffat. Though it’s damning with faint praise to call Steven “safe” – he’s the man who invented the Weeping Angels, the Clockwork Droids, the skulls-in-spacesuits, and “Are you my mummy?”. If I were you, I’d go and buy a brand new sofa in the January sales – the whole family’s going to need it.
We actually finished filming David’s final story in May and then I went to live and work in Los Angeles. Though even there, there’s no escape – the offices of BBC Worldwide have got a Dalek standing on duty in the lobby. Just this week, Quincy Jones walked past it and Harry Shearer posed alongside the metal monster to have his photograph taken.
But I’ll be coming home for Christmas. To see family and friends, of course, but let’s be honest (sorry dad), it’s mainly to see Doctor Who! OK, I’ve seen the episodes 20 times already – we only finished the post-production work on Wednesday December 12, with my final note saying: “Take down the crunch of those turkey bones a little” – but I can’t miss the actual moment of transmission. The Master, played by John Simm, is back – dying and deadly, and harbouring his most outrageous scheme yet; Wilfred Mott (Bernard Cribbins) is being plagued by strange dreams and mysterious visitations; his granddaughter Donna (Catherine Tate) dares not remember her travels with the Doctor, or she’ll die on the spot; and a mysterious Woman in White, played by the legendary Claire Bloom, brings ominous warnings of death and destruction to come. What a Christmas! Though whether there’s a regeneration on its way, or whether we’ve got some final tricks up our sleeves, you’ll just have to wait and see.
And then I’ll move on, to become a viewer, like the rest of you. And bear in mind, as a dyed-in-the-wool Doctor Who fan, I haven’t been able to watch an unspoilt new series since 1989. I can’t wait.
I’ll take away the happiest of memories. Working with Chris and David, Billie, Freema, Catherine and John. The “monster parades”, where we’d try out new aliens in a Cardiff Portakabin. The day a Dubai docker destroyed our double-decker bus, which was the setting for the entire story. Hooting with laughter at our first attempt at Water Monsters, which involved putting a leaky rubber ring on someone’s head. Watching cars arrive on set, bringing the biggest names for the guest cast – Penelope Wilton, Kylie Minogue, Richard Dawkins, Derek Jacobi, Lesley Sharp, the list is endless.
I will miss this job, so very much. And that’s the perfect time to leave. I think that Swansea schoolkid would be happy with what I’ve done. And somewhere out there, right now, is another child, watching with wide-open eyes, who will one day walk into the offices of BBC 3D HQ, to pitch his or her brand-new version of the Doctor’s 21st incarnation. Because this show, like the very best of legends, will never, ever die.
What do we know about The End of Time?
Over the past few months the BBC have been leaking snippets of the Christmas special, set photographs have been circling on the internet and chatrooms have been abuzz with speculation as to how the Doctor will meet his fate. Let's look at what we know now and what we can muse upon.
The Master is back
Well parts of him anyway. As you can see in this preview clip his mind and, what looks like, burnt remains are being contained inside a metal exoskeleton shrouded in a hologram of how the Master used to look. Or rather, how the Master sees himself now. If the hoodie and the dyed blonde hair are anything to go by the Master thinks he's in My Chemical Romance. But how did he survive? Last time we saw him he died in the Doctor's arms, his body was even burned on a funeral pyre. My odds are on the ring that was plucked from the pyre by his wife Lucy Saxon. Oh, and she's back too.
The Time Lords may not be as dead as everyone thinks
As we saw in the clip above the monitors visible behind the Master bore a circular symbol. This is the Seal of Rassilon, the mark of the high council of the Time Lords. It is also to be seen in this picture, guest star Timothy Dalton is wearing robes that bear the symbol. This could of course be a Time Lord in flashback, but you never know. The Daleks survived the war, so why not the Time Lords?
Donna Noble is back
That right everyone, the loudest lady in Chiswick and possibly one of the most stupendously fantastic friends the Doctor has ever had is back. This is amazing and worrying in one fell swoop. When we last saw Donna she was the DoctorDonna – her mind so full of Time Lordly things that it was killing her. The Doctor was forced to remove all of this from her mind along with all her memories of travelling with him. She was returned safely home in the aftermath of the Dalek invasion with one instruction: she must never be reminded of the time she spent with the Doctor or she will die. So how involved can she be in the plot? If she gets too close to anything Doctorish then she's had it. Her mum Sylvia is back and her grandfather Wilf is going to be the Doctor's companion for the two specials but will they be able to keep her safe? Russell T has recently mentioned in an interview Donna's "final words" to the Doctor. This gives me cause for great concern. Will she die once and for all? Please don't do this to us Russell. Donna was bloody amazing.
What is the Gate?
As we can also see from the teaser clip the Gate would appear to be a physical artefact that has been constructed on Earth and that is about to be opened. Could it be a portal to another world (risky) or another dimension (downright irresponsible)? We shall have to wait and find out and hope nothing nasty leaps out. It probably will though.
Who will knock four times?
It would be rather disappointing if it was emo-Master - as henceforth he shall be known - having a bit of an old tap on the doors of the Tardis. As it is I'm hoping for something a bit bigger, more important and scarier. As for theories as to who 'he' might be, I leave that to you good people to debate.
The Master is back
Well parts of him anyway. As you can see in this preview clip his mind and, what looks like, burnt remains are being contained inside a metal exoskeleton shrouded in a hologram of how the Master used to look. Or rather, how the Master sees himself now. If the hoodie and the dyed blonde hair are anything to go by the Master thinks he's in My Chemical Romance. But how did he survive? Last time we saw him he died in the Doctor's arms, his body was even burned on a funeral pyre. My odds are on the ring that was plucked from the pyre by his wife Lucy Saxon. Oh, and she's back too.
The Time Lords may not be as dead as everyone thinks
As we saw in the clip above the monitors visible behind the Master bore a circular symbol. This is the Seal of Rassilon, the mark of the high council of the Time Lords. It is also to be seen in this picture, guest star Timothy Dalton is wearing robes that bear the symbol. This could of course be a Time Lord in flashback, but you never know. The Daleks survived the war, so why not the Time Lords?
Donna Noble is back
That right everyone, the loudest lady in Chiswick and possibly one of the most stupendously fantastic friends the Doctor has ever had is back. This is amazing and worrying in one fell swoop. When we last saw Donna she was the DoctorDonna – her mind so full of Time Lordly things that it was killing her. The Doctor was forced to remove all of this from her mind along with all her memories of travelling with him. She was returned safely home in the aftermath of the Dalek invasion with one instruction: she must never be reminded of the time she spent with the Doctor or she will die. So how involved can she be in the plot? If she gets too close to anything Doctorish then she's had it. Her mum Sylvia is back and her grandfather Wilf is going to be the Doctor's companion for the two specials but will they be able to keep her safe? Russell T has recently mentioned in an interview Donna's "final words" to the Doctor. This gives me cause for great concern. Will she die once and for all? Please don't do this to us Russell. Donna was bloody amazing.
What is the Gate?
As we can also see from the teaser clip the Gate would appear to be a physical artefact that has been constructed on Earth and that is about to be opened. Could it be a portal to another world (risky) or another dimension (downright irresponsible)? We shall have to wait and find out and hope nothing nasty leaps out. It probably will though.
Who will knock four times?
It would be rather disappointing if it was emo-Master - as henceforth he shall be known - having a bit of an old tap on the doors of the Tardis. As it is I'm hoping for something a bit bigger, more important and scarier. As for theories as to who 'he' might be, I leave that to you good people to debate.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Doctor Who Christmas special: Evil plans afoot
The Timelord's psychotic nemesis the Master is bound and gagged and under armed guard - but his grin suggests evil plans are being hatched in the Christmas Day edition of Doctor Who.
The End of Time, Part One, marks the beginning of the epic final journey for the 10th Doctor, played by David Tennant, leading towards a tear-jerking climax.
With the two enemies both determined to cheat death, the battle rages from the wastelands of London to the mysterious Immortality Gate.
The alien Ood also warns of an even greater danger approaching, as a shadow falls across the universe.
Guest stars include former James Bond actor Timothy Dalton, Bernard Cribbins, Catherine Tate and June Whitfield.
:: Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part One, is broadcast on Christmas Day at 6pm on BBC1The story sees the Master, played by Life On Mars star John Simm, re-born on Christmas Eve.
With the two enemies both determined to cheat death, the battle rages from the wastelands of London to the mysterious Immortality Gate.
The alien Ood also warns of an even greater danger approaching, as a shadow falls across the universe.
Guest stars include former James Bond actor Timothy Dalton, Bernard Cribbins, Catherine Tate and June Whitfield.
:: Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part One, is broadcast on Christmas Day at 6pm on BBC1The story sees the Master, played by Life On Mars star John Simm, re-born on Christmas Eve.
'Who mine until last broadcast'
David Tennant has said that he will feel possessive over his role in Doctor Who until his final episodes are broadcast.
The Tenth Doctor will be killed off in the 'End Of Time' two-parter being aired on Christmas Day and New Year's Day before he is regenerated as the Eleventh Doctor, played by Matt Smith.
Tennant told BBC Newsbeat: "It was an emotional finish and the final story is very emotional, there was crying on and off screen. Until they broadcast, it will still feel like mine.
"I didn't know how I'd feel when they started filming again. There were photos of Matt in costume and that was the first realisation that it is going on without me. But it was actually quite exciting, I can't wait to see it."
When asked if he will be watching the show at Christmas, he added: "Well I will still be in it, so I will be sitting round with three or four hundred of my closest friends forcing them to watch me on television. That's what happens on Christmas Day."
The Tenth Doctor will be killed off in the 'End Of Time' two-parter being aired on Christmas Day and New Year's Day before he is regenerated as the Eleventh Doctor, played by Matt Smith.
Tennant told BBC Newsbeat: "It was an emotional finish and the final story is very emotional, there was crying on and off screen. Until they broadcast, it will still feel like mine.
"I didn't know how I'd feel when they started filming again. There were photos of Matt in costume and that was the first realisation that it is going on without me. But it was actually quite exciting, I can't wait to see it."
When asked if he will be watching the show at Christmas, he added: "Well I will still be in it, so I will be sitting round with three or four hundred of my closest friends forcing them to watch me on television. That's what happens on Christmas Day."
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Who's Claire Bloom?
In an interview with The Times veteran actress Claire Bloom (best known to SF&F fans as Hera in Clash Of The Titans) has dropped some hints about her role in Doctor Who’s "The End Of Time".
When asked if there is any truth in the rumours that that she is playing the Doctor’s mother, she replied, “Possibly his mother, possibly not, someone who appears and basically gives him the bad news. A seer, a prophetess. Also she is somehow there as a protectress. But that’s more in what I tried to do than in the script. The scripts are very, very complicated.”
When asked if there is any truth in the rumours that that she is playing the Doctor’s mother, she replied, “Possibly his mother, possibly not, someone who appears and basically gives him the bad news. A seer, a prophetess. Also she is somehow there as a protectress. But that’s more in what I tried to do than in the script. The scripts are very, very complicated.”
The Doctor on my shoulder
The Official BBC Doctor Who website has Day Sevateem of the 2009 Christmas Adventure Calendar: The Doctor on My Shoulder Part One by Daniel Roth, CLICK HERE for the story.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Moffat announces monster return
Interviewed by writer and journalist Matthew Sweet in tonight's edition of Night Waves on BBC Radio 3, new Doctor Who lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat announced the return of a race of monsters to face new Doctor Matt Smith in the next series of the programme in 2010. After discussing various aspects of what it was like being in charge of Doctor Who, at the end of the interview Sweet asked Moffat if he could reveal one piece of information known to nobody outside of the production team, as a "teaser" for the next series. Moffat's answer, "The Weeping Angels are coming back!"
Q&A: The Master's wife, Lucy Saxon!
The last we saw of The Doctor's long-time rival The Master, he'd been reduced to a pile of ashes after being shot and - in a bout of stubbornness befitting of an evil megalomaniac - refusing to regenerate. But as we all know, The Master is to be reborn this Christmas in 'The End Of Time', David Tennant's highly anticipated final Doctor Who adventure. He's not the only one coming back, though - so too is the woman who shot him: his deranged wife Lucy Saxon! What part does she play in his resurrection? And was she the one who collected his ring from the funeral pyre? We collared actress Alexandra Moen for a quick chat to find out.
When did you find out you would be coming back for David Tennant's final episodes?
"Quite late on. I'm not sure when they decided but I think I was only told a month or two before filming."
How did you feel?
"Oh, so thrilled! I was always hoping I would be brought back in some way so it was a brilliant feeling."
How is it possible? The Master storyline felt like it was all wrapped up.
"I know but then that's the beauty of Doctor Who, isn't it? The whole regeneration idea and all these twisty sci-fi rules. Anything can happen in sci-fi!"
The last we saw, The Master's ring was being collected from his ashes. Can we assume you were picking up his ring?
"It wasn't me! You're going to have to keep watching to find out who it was!"
Lucy shot The Master, which led to his apparent death. What's her relationship with him like this time?
"Not good. She's been incarcerated since, as a punishment for the shooting, so she has a lot of time to reflect on how bad it all got. She's a little bit of a reformed character."
Where was she incarcerated?
"I'm not 100% sure to be honest. She's been incarcerated in a really epic castle dungeon-style prison which we actually shot in a medieval castle in Wales - it was freezing! I'm not quite sure who incarcerates her but there's a governor of the prison - a new governor... that's as much as I can tell you."
When she's let out is she angry or has she found peace?
"She's actually not necessarily let out! She's quite an angry person, I would say."
Does she have a bigger role in the story this time around?
"No, not really. I would say a similar kind of significance to the last one. It's definitely more The Master's story."
John Simm's changed his hair. Do you prefer him as a blond?
"That smacks of 1992 grunge, so no I don't!"
There's some great guest stars in the specials, like June Whitfield and Bernard Cribbins. Did you get to act with them?
"No, I didn't. Because I've been incarcerated, my scenes were more with John and a few of the other actors. There were a lot of actors there I didn't get to work with."
Everyone wants to know what happens - what was the security like on set?
"So top secret it was unbelievable! We weren't even given the last few pages of the episode. Anyone who was in them obviously had them but everyone else wasn't allowed to know how it culminated. When you auditioned - not that this was an audition - you were only sent your own scenes so it's very, very secretive."
Is that frustrating?
"I like it actually. When you read a script it's totally different to when you see it, especially with some sci-fi stuff. I really love being surprised when I watch it. It is a bit frustrating but it's probably best for interviews because actors can give things away when they don't mean to, so it's probably a really good idea - Russell knows actors too well!"
Before you got the part were you a big fan of the show?
"I was. I missed all the original Doctor Who because I was too young but I was aware of it and I was quite excited when I heard it was being brought back - partly because I was a big Russell T Davies fan actually. I was really excited, yeah."
What's your opinion on David leaving and the new regime?
"David is definitely my favorite Doctor but I think that Matt will be brilliant. The whole point of Doctor Who is that lots of different actors play him so it's totally fitting and appropriate. It was time for a new Doctor, wasn't it?"
Finally, are you done with the show or might you come back?
"You know what? I have no idea! I would say anything is possible but I don't know the new team. I don't know how many characters they're resurrecting from the new series - probably not that many - so I don't know."
When did you find out you would be coming back for David Tennant's final episodes?
"Quite late on. I'm not sure when they decided but I think I was only told a month or two before filming."
How did you feel?
"Oh, so thrilled! I was always hoping I would be brought back in some way so it was a brilliant feeling."
How is it possible? The Master storyline felt like it was all wrapped up.
"I know but then that's the beauty of Doctor Who, isn't it? The whole regeneration idea and all these twisty sci-fi rules. Anything can happen in sci-fi!"
The last we saw, The Master's ring was being collected from his ashes. Can we assume you were picking up his ring?
"It wasn't me! You're going to have to keep watching to find out who it was!"
Lucy shot The Master, which led to his apparent death. What's her relationship with him like this time?
"Not good. She's been incarcerated since, as a punishment for the shooting, so she has a lot of time to reflect on how bad it all got. She's a little bit of a reformed character."
Where was she incarcerated?
"I'm not 100% sure to be honest. She's been incarcerated in a really epic castle dungeon-style prison which we actually shot in a medieval castle in Wales - it was freezing! I'm not quite sure who incarcerates her but there's a governor of the prison - a new governor... that's as much as I can tell you."
When she's let out is she angry or has she found peace?
"She's actually not necessarily let out! She's quite an angry person, I would say."
Does she have a bigger role in the story this time around?
"No, not really. I would say a similar kind of significance to the last one. It's definitely more The Master's story."
John Simm's changed his hair. Do you prefer him as a blond?
"That smacks of 1992 grunge, so no I don't!"
There's some great guest stars in the specials, like June Whitfield and Bernard Cribbins. Did you get to act with them?
"No, I didn't. Because I've been incarcerated, my scenes were more with John and a few of the other actors. There were a lot of actors there I didn't get to work with."
Everyone wants to know what happens - what was the security like on set?
"So top secret it was unbelievable! We weren't even given the last few pages of the episode. Anyone who was in them obviously had them but everyone else wasn't allowed to know how it culminated. When you auditioned - not that this was an audition - you were only sent your own scenes so it's very, very secretive."
Is that frustrating?
"I like it actually. When you read a script it's totally different to when you see it, especially with some sci-fi stuff. I really love being surprised when I watch it. It is a bit frustrating but it's probably best for interviews because actors can give things away when they don't mean to, so it's probably a really good idea - Russell knows actors too well!"
Before you got the part were you a big fan of the show?
"I was. I missed all the original Doctor Who because I was too young but I was aware of it and I was quite excited when I heard it was being brought back - partly because I was a big Russell T Davies fan actually. I was really excited, yeah."
What's your opinion on David leaving and the new regime?
"David is definitely my favorite Doctor but I think that Matt will be brilliant. The whole point of Doctor Who is that lots of different actors play him so it's totally fitting and appropriate. It was time for a new Doctor, wasn't it?"
Finally, are you done with the show or might you come back?
"You know what? I have no idea! I would say anything is possible but I don't know the new team. I don't know how many characters they're resurrecting from the new series - probably not that many - so I don't know."
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