Monday, August 03, 2009
Davies, Tennant on Vacating “Doctor Who”
The longest running science fiction series in television history, “Doctor Who,” is a beloved pop culture icon in its native U.K. Among U.S. viewers, however, coming out as a Whovian used to be a bit risky. Self-identified geeks once considered the classic series to be a little too geeky even for them.
BBC America, Russell T. Davies and David Tennant changed all that over the past few years — Tennant, especially. For three seasons the gregarious actor portrayed The Doctor with a combination of goofiness and gravitas, making him charismatic, sexy and at times even sinister. We believed it when centuries-old Doctor’s companions fell for him because, after all, we had too. Tennant and Davies’ recent Comic-Con appearance drove the fans into a frenzy.
That’s why the news that Tennant’s run on “Doctor Who” would be coming to an end made our hearts ache a little. The journey for his incarnation of The Doctor is already in the process of ending. “Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead” had its BBC America premiere last Sunday. The next special, “The Waters of Mars,” arrives in the fall and enlists a new companion named Adelaide (Lindsay Duncan, familiar to “Rome” fans as Servilia of the Junii). Tennant’s final special arrives at what would otherwise be the most wonderful time of the year, Christmas. Davies confirmed that it’s called “The End of Time,” and it will be at least an hour and a half, maybe more, with commercials.
The decision to leave wasn’t easy for Tennant but, as he explained to critics on Wednesday, “I like the fact that I stand a chance of leaving an audience and myself wanting more rather than people asking when I’ve leaving.”
For the record, Davies announced he’d be handing the reins off to Steven Moffat in May 2008, before Tennant decided it was time for him to go — he hit us with that news last October.
The actor described the feeling of abandoning the role that brought him such love and acclaim in both the U.K. and the states as both very exciting, and very sad. “It’s thrilling to be handing over the show in such good health, actually…we’ve all come on this journey together, and it feels like we’re coming to the end of something very special.”
As do we.
Davies explains the arc for Tennant’s final four specials in a note on BBC America’s site: “The mysterious Ood have told him that his song is ending soon; something deadly is waiting on Mars; Donna’s grandfather, Wilf, is experiencing strange visions; and a powerful psychic warns the Doctor that “He will knock four times…” The end is coming. But will the Doctor, and the human race, survive?”
Understandably, this Doctor isn’t ready for his number to be up. “I think this Doctor likes being this Doctor,” Tennant explained. “And I think he’s raging against the dying of the light…He knows the sands of time are running out. He’s been told. And the bell is tolling for him, and he doesn’t want to go quietly.”
Up next for Tennant is a television version of “Hamlet.” He’s also in the midst of shooting a film called “St. Trinians 2.”
The next Doctor, 26-year-old Matt Smith, is a relative newcomer and the youngest of all the actors to play the last Time Lord. Karen Gillan was recently unveiled as his new companion. The first of their adventures will premiere in spring 2010.
BBC America, Russell T. Davies and David Tennant changed all that over the past few years — Tennant, especially. For three seasons the gregarious actor portrayed The Doctor with a combination of goofiness and gravitas, making him charismatic, sexy and at times even sinister. We believed it when centuries-old Doctor’s companions fell for him because, after all, we had too. Tennant and Davies’ recent Comic-Con appearance drove the fans into a frenzy.
That’s why the news that Tennant’s run on “Doctor Who” would be coming to an end made our hearts ache a little. The journey for his incarnation of The Doctor is already in the process of ending. “Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead” had its BBC America premiere last Sunday. The next special, “The Waters of Mars,” arrives in the fall and enlists a new companion named Adelaide (Lindsay Duncan, familiar to “Rome” fans as Servilia of the Junii). Tennant’s final special arrives at what would otherwise be the most wonderful time of the year, Christmas. Davies confirmed that it’s called “The End of Time,” and it will be at least an hour and a half, maybe more, with commercials.
The decision to leave wasn’t easy for Tennant but, as he explained to critics on Wednesday, “I like the fact that I stand a chance of leaving an audience and myself wanting more rather than people asking when I’ve leaving.”
For the record, Davies announced he’d be handing the reins off to Steven Moffat in May 2008, before Tennant decided it was time for him to go — he hit us with that news last October.
The actor described the feeling of abandoning the role that brought him such love and acclaim in both the U.K. and the states as both very exciting, and very sad. “It’s thrilling to be handing over the show in such good health, actually…we’ve all come on this journey together, and it feels like we’re coming to the end of something very special.”
As do we.
Davies explains the arc for Tennant’s final four specials in a note on BBC America’s site: “The mysterious Ood have told him that his song is ending soon; something deadly is waiting on Mars; Donna’s grandfather, Wilf, is experiencing strange visions; and a powerful psychic warns the Doctor that “He will knock four times…” The end is coming. But will the Doctor, and the human race, survive?”
Understandably, this Doctor isn’t ready for his number to be up. “I think this Doctor likes being this Doctor,” Tennant explained. “And I think he’s raging against the dying of the light…He knows the sands of time are running out. He’s been told. And the bell is tolling for him, and he doesn’t want to go quietly.”
Up next for Tennant is a television version of “Hamlet.” He’s also in the midst of shooting a film called “St. Trinians 2.”
The next Doctor, 26-year-old Matt Smith, is a relative newcomer and the youngest of all the actors to play the last Time Lord. Karen Gillan was recently unveiled as his new companion. The first of their adventures will premiere in spring 2010.
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Tom Baker at Invasion 2008
From Radiofreeskaro.com: In this clip, Tom Baker, the actor most identified with Doctor Who, tells the tale of a woman who rushed up to him on a train and confessed her undying love for him.
Tom Baker may return
Doctor Who legend Tom Baker has said he would be interested in taking part in a reunion show for Children In Need - but only if he was allowed to vet the script. Skip related content
There have been rumours that show bosses are planning a special edition reuniting all the surviving actors who have played the Time Lord, but the 75-year-old said he had not yet been approached about the idea.
Baked said: "They should actually try and do something like that and they should get a nice jolly script with them."
He added: "I don't know what it will be like and they haven't approached me yet and I'd want to have some say about the script."
Baker, who appeared in nearly 200 episodes of the show in the 1970s and 80s, said he was "amazed" at all the kissing done by the last Doctor, David Tennant, and thought the special effects were losing some of their impact.
He said: "I think it is quite difficult now to surprise an audience with special effects, you may please an audience, but visually you can't actually amaze an audience can you?
"In a sense you just watch them trying, but if people can appear and disappear and walk through walls and disappear and then carry on fencing or kissing girls, that amazes me.
"Of course they didn't do that in my days, and I don't want to be a reactionary old fart about that but in my days, it never occurred to me to try and kiss a girl."
There have been rumours that show bosses are planning a special edition reuniting all the surviving actors who have played the Time Lord, but the 75-year-old said he had not yet been approached about the idea.
Baked said: "They should actually try and do something like that and they should get a nice jolly script with them."
He added: "I don't know what it will be like and they haven't approached me yet and I'd want to have some say about the script."
Baker, who appeared in nearly 200 episodes of the show in the 1970s and 80s, said he was "amazed" at all the kissing done by the last Doctor, David Tennant, and thought the special effects were losing some of their impact.
He said: "I think it is quite difficult now to surprise an audience with special effects, you may please an audience, but visually you can't actually amaze an audience can you?
"In a sense you just watch them trying, but if people can appear and disappear and walk through walls and disappear and then carry on fencing or kissing girls, that amazes me.
"Of course they didn't do that in my days, and I don't want to be a reactionary old fart about that but in my days, it never occurred to me to try and kiss a girl."
Tennant Talks About Rose Tyler
David Tennant on why Rose Tyler is better off with the Doctor's clone than the real thing.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Dalton is the Narrator?
"He's playing a character called the Narrator, but you'll have to see more at Christmas for that," Davies said in a group interview following the press conference. "He's wonderful, that voice."
Davies would not confirm that Dalton would appear on screen, but enjoyed repeating that his character's name is the Narrator. Even choosing clips for the teaser was a debate.
"We argued over them long and hard, because there's an editor called Thomas back in BBC Cardiff who put those together," Davies said. "We went over them 27 times, every time saying, 'No, take that out. No, take that out.' Because I know science fiction fans are very clever. You can show them one character, and if he's hiding something in his hands, they will guess what it is. If he's hiding something, they will guess why he's hiding something, and therefore they'll guess what the entire plot is. I've seen them do that. So it's such a literate audience, all you really get in those Christmas clips are faces, to show you who is in it, because we daren't show any more."
Davies would not confirm that Dalton would appear on screen, but enjoyed repeating that his character's name is the Narrator. Even choosing clips for the teaser was a debate.
"We argued over them long and hard, because there's an editor called Thomas back in BBC Cardiff who put those together," Davies said. "We went over them 27 times, every time saying, 'No, take that out. No, take that out.' Because I know science fiction fans are very clever. You can show them one character, and if he's hiding something in his hands, they will guess what it is. If he's hiding something, they will guess why he's hiding something, and therefore they'll guess what the entire plot is. I've seen them do that. So it's such a literate audience, all you really get in those Christmas clips are faces, to show you who is in it, because we daren't show any more."
Last original Dalek operator dies
Michael Summerton, who died on June 16 aged 65, was an actor turned agent, and represented stars of soap operas and dance, among them Lesley Joseph, Hot Gossip and Arlene Phillips; he was also the last survivor of the original Daleks in Dr Who.
Read the rest here.
Read the rest here.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
A chat with Jonathan Ross and Tennants butt pics wow lol
Great interview and a great pic of DT for the fans go check it out:
Exclusive Chat with Jonathan Ross about Doctor Who
By Kate Kotler
Exclusive Chat with Jonathan Ross about Doctor Who
By Kate Kotler
"End of time" teaser SDCC cam
Not a good copy at all but all i can find at the moment
Slighty less jumpy closer cam version here. You can see Wilf, donna, sigma, the master, and lucy in the clip. gonna be epic!!! lol
Slighty less jumpy closer cam version here. You can see Wilf, donna, sigma, the master, and lucy in the clip. gonna be epic!!! lol
Details emerge about finale
If anyone wants to remain in the dark about the two specials which form the Tenth Doctor's finale, please look away now! Footage from the first of these episodes was screened during the Doctor Who panel at Comic-Con International, 2009, meaning details about the adventure are officially out there!
As we revealed earlier today, the episodes feature the return of John Simm as the Master. The Doctor's fellow Time Lord is sporting a different hair colour in the finale, working a striking, lighter look.
And the Master isn't the only familiar figure returning from Doctor Who's recent past. Executive Producer Russell T Davies, who wrote David Tennant's final episodes, confirmed that Alexandra Moen is back as Lucy Saxon, the character we previously saw in The Sound of Drums and The Last of the Time Lords. Although married to the Master she put a serious dent in their relationship by shooting him but what happened to her after the events of Series Three has remained a mystery, so far...
Russell further explained that footage from the finale screened at Comic-Con included the voice of Timothy Dalton as the Narrator. His exact role in the specials is currently undisclosed but Dalton is, of course, best known for portraying James Bond in The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill.
One of the biggest cheers of the Doctor Who panel occurred when the trailer showed the face of Catherine Tate, last seen playing Donna Noble in Journey's End. Bernard Cribbins, who played her grandfather, Wilf, also features in the trailer which depicts a grim-faced Doctor walking purposefully away from a wall of leaping flames... but towards what, or whom..?
As we revealed earlier today, the episodes feature the return of John Simm as the Master. The Doctor's fellow Time Lord is sporting a different hair colour in the finale, working a striking, lighter look.
And the Master isn't the only familiar figure returning from Doctor Who's recent past. Executive Producer Russell T Davies, who wrote David Tennant's final episodes, confirmed that Alexandra Moen is back as Lucy Saxon, the character we previously saw in The Sound of Drums and The Last of the Time Lords. Although married to the Master she put a serious dent in their relationship by shooting him but what happened to her after the events of Series Three has remained a mystery, so far...
Russell further explained that footage from the finale screened at Comic-Con included the voice of Timothy Dalton as the Narrator. His exact role in the specials is currently undisclosed but Dalton is, of course, best known for portraying James Bond in The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill.
One of the biggest cheers of the Doctor Who panel occurred when the trailer showed the face of Catherine Tate, last seen playing Donna Noble in Journey's End. Bernard Cribbins, who played her grandfather, Wilf, also features in the trailer which depicts a grim-faced Doctor walking purposefully away from a wall of leaping flames... but towards what, or whom..?
John Simm Returns for the Finale!
John Simm will return as the Master in the two special episodes which bring David Tennant's era as the Doctor to a stunning conclusion. There's been speculation about Simm's involvement with the show but we can confirm he'll be back later this year, once again playing the Doctor's deadly nemesis.
Simm first appeared as the Master in Utopia, The Sound of Drums and The Last of the Time Lords. All three episodes were written by Executive Producer and Head Writer Russell T Davies who also wrote his upcoming adventure.
The character debuted in 1971 and on-screen has faced all but the Second and Ninth Doctors. Davies' version of the Master saw him retain his wit and cunning but since Utopia he's been callous and charismatic, sick, psychotic and enormously likeable. In short, everyone's favourite megalomaniac.
At the close of Series Three we saw the Master gunned down by his wife and whilst lying in his enemy's arms, he refused to regenerate. The world believed he had died and the Doctor accepted he was the last of the Time Lords. But this is Doctor Who and you can't keep a good bad guy down!
We've yet to find out how he survived but we can promise we'll be bringing you an exclusive interview with John Simm and some brand new Master material later this year.
Simm first appeared as the Master in Utopia, The Sound of Drums and The Last of the Time Lords. All three episodes were written by Executive Producer and Head Writer Russell T Davies who also wrote his upcoming adventure.
The character debuted in 1971 and on-screen has faced all but the Second and Ninth Doctors. Davies' version of the Master saw him retain his wit and cunning but since Utopia he's been callous and charismatic, sick, psychotic and enormously likeable. In short, everyone's favourite megalomaniac.
At the close of Series Three we saw the Master gunned down by his wife and whilst lying in his enemy's arms, he refused to regenerate. The world believed he had died and the Doctor accepted he was the last of the Time Lords. But this is Doctor Who and you can't keep a good bad guy down!
We've yet to find out how he survived but we can promise we'll be bringing you an exclusive interview with John Simm and some brand new Master material later this year.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
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