Christian Cawley's Blog, page 165

Peter Capaldi: “People Who Make Doctor Who Are Huge Fans”

Christian Cawley is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

This Sunday Peter Capaldi will be speaking to Classic FM’s Charlotte Green on her Culture Club show, and we’ve got some quotes and clips from the show to share with you now!

“You’ll find a lot of people who make Doctor Who are huge fans,” Capaldi tells the classical music station presenter . “I don’t really know what its appeal is – but those who get it, get it very powerfully. And it’s very loved. So when you have people who have that response to it, it makes it work.” Continuing, he observes (astutely, we think) that Doctor Who only works “if it is made by those who love it and not by those who think it’s a marketable item”.

With regards to playing the Doctor, Capaldi obviously believes that being a fan has helped him. “I’m not coming from the outside, I’m coming from the inside,” he says, and that he understands “whole pile of things” about the Doctor.

You can listen to some snippets from the interview in the player below.

Perhaps surprising to the interviewer is Capaldi’s assertion regarding the show’s popularity. “We sort of see it as a very British programme from that era of early 1960s fog and coughing and milk bottles and stuff,” he says. “But it is universally loved.”

It was invevitable, of course, that conversation would turn to Capaldi’s other popular BBC character. Not Cardinal Richelieu, but Malcolm Tucker. Fortunately, the Doctor Who star remains classy in his response .”I don’t really swear very much in real life and since I became Doctor Who, I don’t really like to indulge. So as much as I’d like to decorate your website with some terrible, sweary bon mots , I think it’s best if I don’t.”

Click below to hear that bit…

Catch Peter Capaldi on Charlotte Green’s Culture Club this Sunday (November 23rd, Doctor Who’s 51st anniversary – when else?) on Classic FM at 3pm.

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Happy Birthday Doctor Who: Legacy!

Christian Cawley is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Amazing but true, Tiny Rebel Games’ Doctor Who: Legacy is one year old on November 27th! Over the past 12 months the game has gone from strength to strength, offering excellent new content and characters as well as reacting quickly to bugs and issues.

It is, quite simply, the best Doctor Who video ever created.

As part of their anniversary celebrations, the Twelfth Doctor will be introduced to the game alongside four new levels. Arguable more intriguing, however, is the new “A Madman with a Box / Happy birthday Legacy!” expert level which pitches the First Doctor against Zygon copies of all 13 incarnations, with the opportunity to collect the TARDIS+ piece.

There is also a new release of the game to look forward to, which is intended to speed load times and improve stability.

Actually, there’s a heck of a lot more, inluding a 2014 advent calendar with characters from Titan Comics’ Doctor Who series, a team up with PixelWho and news of Chapter 4 of the game, which continues the Master storyline. To digest this all in detail we suggest that you head over to the Doctor Who: Legacy news page!

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Trailers for New Fourth Doctor Stories, Powell Plays Barbara, Early Adventures and More!

Nick Kitchen is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is time. That’s right; in a world where our headlines and stories are frequented with names like Capaldi and Coleman and stories feature the Moon as an egg, the Kasterborous Big Finish News Blast is here to put the “class” in your Classic Doctor Who audio adventure news! Today, new trailers for upcoming Fourth Doctor adventures by Gareth Roberts, Jemma Powell is Barbara Wright, new details for upcoming Early Adventures, and a cover unveiled for the second volume of Novel Adaptations. Let’s begin, shall we?

Trailers for The Romance of Crime and The English Way of Death

Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor, Leela, and K9 are about to set out in two new adventures from author and script writer, Gareth Roberts. Hot off the presses of the latest Big Finish podcast, here are brand new trailers for The Romance of Crime and The English Way of Death. The stories are out in January and are also available in a 5-disc special edition.

Jemma Powell Cast as Barbara Wright

Big Finish has announced the official casting of Jemma Powell as well Barbara Wright. If that name and role sounds somewhat familiar, it’s because Powell portrayed Jacqueline Hill, the actress who played Barbara in the original television series, in Mark Gatiss’ fantastic An Adventure in a Space and Time. While it matters very little when discussing an an audio story, Powell does certainly resemble Jacqueline Hill and was convincing enough in the anniversary docudrama. No titles have been announced at this time, but as information becomes available, we’ll be sure to let you know when you can catch Powell in her new role.

Doctor Who: The Early Adventures – The Bounty of Ceres Available Now!

The third installment of the Early Adventures series (think Companion Chronicles, but focused on the Hartnell Doctor era) is now available. The Bounty of Ceres finds the First Doctor, Stephen, and Vicki stranded on a mining base:

“Ceres. A tiny, unforgiving ball of ice and rock hanging between Mars and Jupiter. It’s no place to live, and it takes a special kind of person to work there. The crew of the Cobalt Corporation mining base know exactly how deadly the world outside their complex is, but the danger isn’t just outside anymore. The systems they rely on to keep them safe are failing and the planet is breaking in. When the TARDIS strands Steven, Vicki and the Doctor on the base, they have to fight a foe they can barely comprehend to survive.”

The audio story finds Peter Purves and Maureen O’Brien reprising their television roles of Steven and Vicki, as well as trading off on the role as narrator.

Cover Unveiled for Doctor Who: The Novel Adaptations Volume 2

In the midst of the flurry of other Big Finish news, they’ve also given us our first look at the cover for the second volume of novel adaptations, this time featuring Gareth Roberts’ The Well Mannered War and Russell T. Davies’ Damaged Goods:

Speaking personally, I am highly impressed by the cover art revealed today. It is more in line with a Star Wars movie poster than the cover of an audio adventure. This release is available individually or in a 5-disc special edition, featuring the artwork above.

This brings us to the end of the news blast. With all of the Big Finish goodness we’ve discussed today, we want to hear from you now! Any of these releases or castings have you excited for what’s coming in the Big Finish ranges? Let us know!

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Why Cybermen Should Be Scary: They’re Us

Alasdair Shaw is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

We’ve all forgotten, quite frankly.

The concept of the Cybermen is a simple one: they’re us. Or rather they’re what we might be. When they first appeared during The Tenth Planet the most terrifying thing about them was their exposed human hands, marking as something a bit more sinister than just another set of robots or aliens.

They may have worn gloves from then on in, but by that point the concept had been hammered home and we remained utterly terrified of them for generations. Even the 80s couldn’t completely neuter them and the transparent chin piece served as a subtle reminder that these weren’t just sophisticated robots.

I’ve always thought it a shame that their last outing before cancellation was Silver Nemesis. I love the Seventh Doctor and most of his run (we don’t talk about Series 24), but Silver Nemesis was just a giant mess of half-baked ideas that might have worked better if more thought had gone into expanding them in other serials. Although being dispatched by silver arrows was nothing compared with what was about to come.

Well I say “about”, but it 2006 before we saw them on our screens again unless you count the blink and you miss it cameo in Dalek.

It all started so promisingly. They took the concept of hands free kits for mobile phones and hinted at the organic fusion of man and machine, but when they finally began being manufactured and marching on an alternate universe version of the Doctor they had finally transitioned from terrifying cybernetic organisms into full on robots. The fact that they came from an alternate universe rather Telos or Mondas was an indication of just how far removed from the originals these Cybermen were to be.

Sure there has been the odd moment of terror over the last eight series of nuWho, the whirring of saws prior to a conversion or a human skull falling out of an open Cyber helmet, but for every one of those moments we’ve had a squad of Cybermen marching in perfect unison or guns popping out of arms or their individual identities being absorbed into a hive mind.

Even under Neil Gaiman’s hands they became more of a Microsoft or Apple product, upgrading themselves at a whim.

And then in Dark Water, we learn that Cybermen could be created from human remains and nano technology in rain clouds.

When the only organic component left is a calcified frame there is nothing for the technology to integrate with. They’re just armoured zombies. Even the technobabble about downloading their minds didn’t work at this point. They’re just armoured zombies who are about a week late for Halloween. Perhaps the one slight redeeming feature was watching Danny Pink struggling with his humanity in the wake of his upgrade, but even that lost its sting when he started barking orders at the Cybermen as if they were some giant robot army waiting for instructions.

Robot army?

The Cybermen can be scary. They should be scary and I’m looking forward to seeing them taken back to their roots at some point by someone who understands them and their history. Until then it’s time to let them rest.

Except Handles. He can come back anytime.

The post Why Cybermen Should Be Scary: They’re Us appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

140 Characters: Scott Handcock

PJ Edmundson is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Who fandom, by whichever titles they go under, has always displayed a level of interest and devotion that is typical of science fiction, but more detailed, more committed and now, more in charge of the show itself. Through fanzines, fan productions evolving into DVD extras and additional Who franchises, Doctor Who fandom has produced a level of art form not replicated to such an extent in the UK and perhaps the world, based on a rolling work of fiction.

140 Characters would aim to create capsule interviews, with a series of short, simple questions, worded like a ‘tweet’ or a single text message, requiring an answer in the same succinct fashion. The questions below are all on or below 140 characters. The answers are the same.

Scott Handcock is a freelance writer, director and actor, having worked on Doctor Who for several years as part of the production team. He now writes and directs The Confessions of Dorian Gray series for Big Finish. He directed the recent Big Finish release of the classic Frankenstein, starring Arthur Darvill and Nicholas Briggs.

Have you always been an open fan of the show?

Oh yes! I was probably quite evangelical as a kid: I wanted to share this brilliant hero with everyone I knew. So glad they’re now aboard!

How involved in fandom have you been?

I love fandom. It’s a religious experience: a shared belief but personal expressions of that love that make it individual. They’re all fab!

How long have you been watching Doctor Who?

I’ve been watching Doctor Who ever since the early 90s. I fell into the wilderness years, but somehow that made it strangely thrilling…

When you first started watching Doctor Who, how old where you and where were you?

It was 1992, I was seven years old, living in leafy Bournville, Birmingham. Just down the road from Arthur Darvill, weirdly enough…

What was your very first episode of Doctor Who?

My very first episode was the 90s repeat of The Sea Devils. I still clearly remember the Doctor/Master sword fight!

How would you rate that episode now?

I think I was lucky to start with a classic. Even now, it’s such a different, atmospheric story. I adore the Target novelisation too!  

Is the Master the Doctor’s opposite number?

Ideally, yes. It’s why Pertwee/Delgado or Tennant/Simm work so well – they’re peers, equals, either could win. Less so Davison/Ainley sadly.

Is there a villain you identify with more than others?

Blimey. That’s a tough one. I suppose it would be the Rani: I just want to get on with my work, and get frustrated by any interference!

Do you ever find yourself rooting for the bad guy?

Not rooting, but you can still be charmed by them and love them – absolutely!

Is there an episode that means more to you than all the others?

A Christmas Carol. Simply because it was the very first story I worked on properly. There’s a thrill to seeing your name in that vortex…

If you could travel with any of the Doctors, which one would it be and why?

I think it’d have to be the Eleventh. He’s just the most relaxed and easy-going…

Which, if any, companion would you like to be there as well?

Do you know: it’s easy choosing a Doctor ‘cos they’re all the same man. I can’t choose one companion. So I’ll be selfish and travel solo!  

Do you see yourself as one of the Doctors and why that one?

I don’t see myself as the Doctor, but I think all fans identify with him somehow. Bit of an outsider; I don’t take myself too seriously…

Who was the best Doctor, never cast?

Robert Glenister. Such a brilliant, surprising actor. He captivates me in everything he does.

Who would you name as your favourite companion and why?

Choosing companions is hard, but I adore the dynamic between the Doctor and Donna in series four. Never has been such a fun, matey pairing!

Does the Doctor ever get it wrong?

Nobody’s perfect. Of course he does. But it’s his unwavering desire to get it right that makes him heroic.

Is the TARDIS alive?

Yes. Next!

Which is your favourite TARDIS interior and why?

The 1996 TV Movie. Not a shadow of a doubt; vast, magical, sci-fi and wonderfully British/Doctorish. I could buy he’d lived there centuries!

When the new series arrived, what was your initial reaction?

So thrilled and excited. TV Movie aside, I’d never been exposed to live Who before – and it’s great there’s still such an appetite for it!

Nearly ten years on, how do you feel about it now?

I love it. It’s changed my life quite literally. I’ve met lots of people, made loads of friends. And it’s great how varied it remains!

What fan-like activity is something you rarely discuss openly?

I’m quite open about everything. I love conventions – which some people find quite strange – but it’s all about celebration. Discuss away!

How should the Doctor dress?

I’m in no position to give fashion tips. Whatever he feels comfortable in, frankly.

Do you ever dress like the Doctor in everyday life?

No, not really. Though Capaldi’s minimalist approach is making that a bit harder…

What is the best thing that being a fan of the show ever given to you?

It’s given me some of the most brilliant friends and opportunities I could ever have hoped to have. It’s extraordinary!

What is the single most important aspect of the show?

Variety. It can do anything, go anywhere, tell all manner of stories. So let it.

A big thank you to Scott Handcock!

The post 140 Characters: Scott Handcock appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Will Peter Capaldi Return For Doctor Who Series 9?

Christian Cawley is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

If there are any of you out there yet to be convinced by the Twelfth Doctor, it’s bad news: there will be no regeneration in the Christmas special!

Yes, Peter Capaldi will be returning for Series 9, as confirmed by Steven Moffat to the Hollywood Reporter. at yesterday’s Series 8 DVD launch event.

With a simple “Yes, he’s confirmed,” Steven Moffat put the minds of fans around the world at rest. This confirmation follows tabloid-sparked rumours that the 55 year old actor would only be starring in the TARDIS for a year. Of course, signing up for a year or a group of years with the flexibility to review the arrangement annually is par for the course for Doctor Who and other long-running TV shows. To be honest, we always wondered why people make such a fuss about it.

However, the fate of Clara is less clear, with Steven Moffat saying little other than Jenna Coleman was yet to sign on for another series.

This might be because the actress has been cast in another show; alternatively, he Moffat may prefer to obfuscate the situation in order to create mystery around the 2014 Christmas special.

We’ll have to wait and see what time tells us on that score…

The post Will Peter Capaldi Return For Doctor Who Series 9? appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

What We Learned About Peter Capaldi This Weekend!

Jonathan Appleton is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Peter Capaldi has offered several intriguing insights into his hopes for future series of Doctor Who, as well as reflections on his recently transmitted debut season. Why does he fancy a change of décor? Who should the Doctor meet in the next celebrity historical? Which elements of the scripts did he want to cut?

All of this and more was discussed at the weekend’s hot ticket event, An Afternoon with Mark Gatiss and Friends, held at the Criterion Theatre in the West End in aid of the London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard. The Doctor Who and Sherlock writer and performer gathered a bunch of his pals together including Andrew Scott, Amanda Abbington, Derren Brown and Miranda Richardson for an entertaining sounding session of chat. But enough of who else was there – what did the Doctor have to say?

A New Look for the TARDIS?

It’s fair to say that if Peter were to open up a present on Christmas morning and find it contained a brand new TARDIS console room (okay, it would have to be a very large parcel) he’d be a happy man:

“Roundels. I like the old Sixties roundels. That was the coolest look and I think it’s also appropriate for the way this Doctor dresses. It’s got a sort of Edwardian look about it  – not the actual console – it’s the bits and pieces lying around. Cricket bats, maps and odds and ends and things. There’s a Jules Verne quality to it – I would like to make it more Bauhaus.”

Peter is realistic enough to know he may not get his wish (“they feel if they’ve spent a certain amount of money on a certain amount of props, then they won’t get rid of those props until they’ve been used. This applies equally to the TARDIS. It’s essentially Matt’s.”) but this former art school student has clearly given this some thought…

The Doctor Has A Dream

Capaldi has his own ideas on who he would like to see his Doctor meet in future episodes:

“Martin Luther King… I don’t see why the Doctor shouldn’t be involved in the civil rights struggle. Those Ku Klux Klan guys – what’s going on there?”

Responding to the suggestion of an encounter with that giant of the civil rights movement, Gatiss gave it a qualified welcome:

“I think it would be really interesting but it would be a big challenge because you’d have to work out exactly the tone of the adventure.”

If it’s not to be MLK, Capaldi fancies meeting blues great Robert Johnson “who legend had it sold his soul to the devil on the crossroads at Mississippi at midnight.”

Sounds like the basis of a great Doctor Who story right there…

It’s time to say goodbye to Amy and Rory in The Angels Take Manhattan

Cut the Soppy Stuff

Capaldi was unequivocal in his view that he didn’t want his Doctor to be an appealing figure and offered an interesting snippet into how far he was able to go in influencing the Twelfth Doctor’s characterisation:

“Because Matt was so beloved and so open, I felt I had to be a bit more closed. I think Steven and myself had a hand in how far we could go with that.”

“I would certainly sometimes find some material that I found a little weepy, and seeking the audience’s affection – and I would try and remove them. I don’t want them to like me!”

On Being a Heartthrob… and Not Going Anywhere Soon

Peter pronounced himself baffled at the suggestion that he’s considered “gorgeous, hot and sexy” by a sizeable chunk of Doctor Who’s globe-spanning fandom and, not for the first time, displayed a healthy ability to remain grounded whilst at the centre of an unimaginable level of public attention:

“I genuinely can’t believe it… The only person that I want to love me is my wife. If people enjoy my profile from the privacy of their own home, that’s entirely up to you.”

Although he pointed to the energy-sapping schedule involved in being the Doctor (“At the end of the day, the job is all-consuming, it’s a factory – a Doctor Who factory!… But it is every day for eight months and you can get tired…”), fans impressed with Peter’s performance so far will surely be thrilled to learn he has just the one item on his bucket list:

“If I did have an ambition it would be not to regenerate for a while.”

So should it be back to the roundels for the TARDIS? Civil rights struggles for the Doctor? More grumpiness in Series 9? There’s plenty here to give your views on – let us know what you think!

The post What We Learned About Peter Capaldi This Weekend! appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

The PodKast With A Rubbertoe [UPDATED]

Christian Cawley is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Hey. listener! It’s time to become a viewer once again, as the Kasterborous PodKast (with a “K”) goes all visual to talk to Nick Robatto of Rubbertoe Replicas.

Nick’s the guy who makes a lot of the original props for the show, from the mini police box in Flatline (it was a prop, not a toy!) to the sonic screwdriver, which we reviewed recently.

Unlike most podKasts that feature a lot of James McLean and Christian Cawley with Brian, this time around it’s fair to say that other than the intro and outro, it’s Brian and Nick’s show. Nick was a great guest, and if you’re a collector of Doctor Who props or you’re keen to build your own, you’ll find Nick a fascinating interview subject. Find out more about Nick’s prop replicas at www.rubbertoereplicas.com.

Intro on the audio version by John Guilor; podKast theme by Russell Hugo.

Listen to the PodKast

There are several ways to listen. In addition to the usual player above, we’re pleased to announce that you can also stream the podKast using Stitcher, an award-winning, free mobile app available for Android and iPhone/iPad. This pretty much means that you can listen to us anywhere without downloading – pretty neat, we think you’ll agree! (Note that it can take a few hours after a new podKast is published to “catch up”.)

What’s more, you can now listen and subscribe to the podKast via our Audioboo channel! Head to http://audioboo.fm/channel/doctorwhopodkast and click play to start listening. You can also comment and record your own boos in response to our discussions! Meanwhile you can use the player below to listen through Audioboo:

You haven’t clicked play yet?! What are you waiting for? As well as our new Stitcher and Audioboo presence you can also use one of these amazingly convenient ways to download and enjoy this week’s podKast.

Use the player in the top right of the Kasterborous home page, or visit the podKast menu link.
Listen with the “pop out” player above, which also allows you to download the podKast to your computer.
You can also take advantage of the RSS feed to subscribe to the podKast for your media player, and even find us on iTunes, where your reviews will help the show considerably.

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Seventh Doctor Sweater Reviewed!

Philip Bates is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Thankfully, the Seventh Doctor era has had a re-evaluation over the last few years. He’s brilliant. The stories are, on the whole, brilliant too. Sylvester McCoy might feel he wasn’t given a proper crack of the whip, but he still has an ever-expanding pool of fans.

And now, we can show off the fact that we love political satire, the darker side of society, and the Kandyman, thanks to Lovarzi and their pitch-perfect replica of his jumper.

McCoy reportedly wasn’t too keen on his costume, but I’ll go right out and say it: I think it’s great. I’m not the only one. Gone are the garish, haphazard colours of the Sixth Doctor. There are layers to the Seventh Doctor’s look; the tank top isn’t subtle, that’s for sure, but the Doctor has that exuberance and likes to show off. Yet there are finer details. Nonetheless, the Seventh Doctor sweater is what people think of.

Lovarzi’s, then, is also full of detail. It’s precise and beautifully done. It’d take a lot of work to reproduce anything like this at home and the quality wouldn’t be as good.

The colours, too, are accurate and bizarrely, they work. Of course it’s clashing, but that doesn’t matter. It’s a piece in the rich fabric of our favourite show, so it’s bold and eye-catching and different from anything else. Basically, it’s Doctor Who. We should be proud of that.

It’s the intricacies of the design that you notice immediately. Presented in a carry case, it’s too good to take out. Almost. Oh, as if you can own something like this and not parade around the house in it! You may even be tempted to start rrrrrrrrolling certain letters. When you’re done, you can pop it back into the case, no problem, ready for its next outing over Christmas, on a trip down to the shops, or just when the mood once more overtakes you.

There were two concerns, however, after taking it out of the case. Firstly, it feels quite heavy. Secondly, these sorts of jumpers tend to be a bit itchy around the neck. Fortunately, the worries slip away once you put it on.

It may feel heavy in the hands but the jumper is surprisingly light when you’re wearing it. That’s not at the expense of warmth either. It’ll stand up to a cold wind just fine, and if you want to finish that Seventh Doctor look, slipping on a jacket won’t make you sweat off 10lbs. I’ve never worn a tank top before, so it initially felt odd not having sleeves. But it’s no different from a body warmer and you soon get used to it. At least you know it won’t get damaged when you’re doing your daily activities (or fighting fellow fans to get to meet a celebrity or find back issues at conventions). There’s no issue with the neckline either: it feels really comfortable. More than that – unnoticeable. It doesn’t sit too high and it doesn’t itch. That’s important and pretty rare.

The pockets are, essentially, only there for decoration. They’re probably too thin to hold much more than a pen or some jelly babies. That’s not really the point of this faithful recreation though. I doubt any fan would want to risk wrecking it by shoving in anything heavy.

You can’t escape the fact that this is an unusual item, but that makes it all the better.

I like to imagine McCoy wearing this jumper in a recording booth, threatening Daleks, Cybermen and Haemovores for Big Finish.

The Seventh Doctor is brilliant. His stories are brilliant. Well done to Lovarzi for making something equally brilliant, which you can order direct from them for a more-than-reasonable £44.99 (plus tax & shipping).

The post Seventh Doctor Sweater Reviewed! appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Tate’s Capaldi Love, Lego Regeneration, David Tennant, Sylv & More!

Jonathan Appleton is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

It’s the weekend! (Yay!!) But there’s no new episode of Doctor Who! (Boo!!) But fear not, Kasterborous reader! We’ve a special bumper news blast to help you through these Who-less (‘that’s not even a word!’) weeks until Christmas! A virtual TARDIS full of goodies here, including your fave show in plastic brick form, nonsense science, local takes on Doctor Who news and an online resource that could keep you occupied for a very, very long time…

Catherine Loves Peter

Catherine Tate has praised Peter Capaldi for his ‘brilliant’ performance as the Doctor in Series 8. “I love it – I think Peter Capaldi is brilliant, says Catherine, who’s promoting her tipped-for-Oscar-nods new movie release Nativity 3: Dude, Where’s My Donkey?! “I think the partnership that they have now is brilliant – I think it’s great. I loved Matt [Smith, too]. I didn’t stop watching it when I left it.” Glad to hear it, Catherine!

Lego of the Doctor

A lovely clip by the brilliant BlogVanDam which recreates the moment when the 11th Doctor regenerated into the 12th – in Lego computer animation form! Favourite bits for me are the new Doctor munching on a chicken leg (okay, it’s not a 100% faithful recreation) and the priceless look on his Lego face when he realises he doesn’t know how to fly the TARDIS. Blog (if that is indeed his/her first name) has also recorded a Series 8 trailer which is well worth a look…

Egg in Space Takes a Bashing

It’s fair to say that if there was a Bad Science end of season award Kill the Moon would be the hands down winner for Series 8. Although it was up against some pretty stiff competition, come to think of it…

Check out the letters page of the new Doctor Who Magazine for further debate on this, or a somewhat despairing discussion thread we found, started by someone who, hilariously, couldn’t be bothered to watch until the end and therefore didn’t even get to see the episode’s most heinous crime against science…

Cinema Gong for The Day of the Doctor

Doctor Who has struck gold at the ECA Awards, doled out for excellence in cinema box office admission, programming and exhibitions, for the hit global broadcast of The Day of the Doctor on November 23rd last year (can it really be nearly a year ago?).

The Doctor Who team at BBC Worldwide won the gold award for Best Box Office for its achievement in running the ‘simulcast’ in some 94 (count ‘em) countries, generating a whopping $10.2m in receipts.

Rutherglen Writer Speaks

Andrew Smith, who wrote Full Circle for Doctor Who as a teenager way back in 1980, has given an interview to Scotland Now on how he came to write for the programme. In that endearing way that the regional press has of finding a local connection in everything, the fact he’s from Rutherglen in South Lanarkshire is mentioned in the very first line.

It’s actually a nice interview with a thoroughly decent chap who is still doing some sterling work for Big Finish, and in which he reveals how he spent up at the Blackpool exhibition and had his first drink bought for him by Douglas Adams in the BBC bar.

Tennant in Surrey

More local news, and the Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser is our trustworthy source for the tip that David Tennant has been spotted by ‘eagle-eyed residents’ filming scenes for Broadchurch in Coldharbour, Surrey, Britain. Series 2 of Chris Chibnall’s ITV hit drama is expected on screens early in 2015. Interesting how, almost five years after his last regular appearance, it’s his role as the Doctor that gets the first mention. Truly it’s the part that never leaves an actor behind…

McCoy Plays the Doctor

Sylvester McCoy has recorded a short interview with BBC local radio to promote his appearance as a rather different doctor on stage in an adaptation of heavyweight Chekov drama The Three Sisters. Sylvester speaks of how he never really knew what he was letting himself in for when he took on Doctor Who, and his pleasure at seeing an older actor in the role again: “It was good that they’ve gone back to an older superhero because there are enough superheroes, young ones, with muscles who wear their underpants outside their trousers. There are enough of those, we need some that use their brain.”

Read Every Doctor Who Script – Ever

Finally, it’s not often you come across something online that genuinely makes your jaw drop in admiration but that was the effect on me when I clapped eyes on Chrissie’s Transcripts Site. This remarkable resource has transcripts of every line ever uttered in every episode of Doctor Who, from An Unearthly Child all the way through to Death in Heaven. That’s right: all of it. And every episode of The Sarah Jane Adventures too. And Torchwood. Oh, and loads of other stuff like K9 and Company and various audio episodes. And once you’ve worked your way through Doctor Who (all of it) you can start on the various incarnations of Star Trek, cos they’re all on there as well. There really is no excuse for saying you’re bored in the long wait for Series 9 now…Chrissie, we salute you.

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