Christian Cawley's Blog, page 226

Hear PodKast With A Mortal Enemy On Audioboo!

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.

In what can only be described as a warm, fireside chat about Doctor Who, Brian Terranova and James McLean take their lead from a couple of news and feature articles recently on Kasterborous and take them for a walk.

Like a free-form Jazz duet, James and Brian lurch from classic to nuWho, the death of traditional fan meetups vs their modern Internet-driven successors and chat about Philadelphia Wizard World (where Brian was cosplaying the Tenth Doctor), Torchwood and the Master!

You may well ask what else they discussed, but we couldn’t possibly tell you. Just hit play to find out

This week, there’s no Christian Cawley, thanks to a nice holiday that he’s having. A byproduct of this is the lack of iTunes/RSS and Stitcher versions of the podKast. We’ll be resolving this problem on Friday, at which point this post will be updated. In the meantime, you can enjoy the podKast via Audioboo using the player below.

listen to ‘PodKast With A Mortal Enemy’ on Audioboo

The post Hear PodKast With A Mortal Enemy On Audioboo! appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Philadelphia Comic Con Press Roundup

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.

Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con came and went this past weekend, and by all accounts it was immersive experience, especially for Whovians! Whether you wanted to get a photo with our Associate Editor and Tenth Doctor cosplayer, Brian Terranova (and TARDIS!), or meet the Eleventh Doctor and companion (Matt Smith and Karen Gillan), there were plenty of once in a lifetime opportunities. Our own Rebecca Crockett took part in the festivities and will be bringing us an exclusive first hand report later this week, but for now let’s take a look at what the press world is saying about the event.

NJ.com (New Jersey News) has a great slideshow of photos and sets the mood:

A tiny version of Mystique sits on a window ledge, her blue face twisted in concentration as she hands off an iPad displaying some colorful shooting game to a young boy in suspenders, a brown coat and a bright red fez atop his head. Although this sounds like a nerdy dream or a fan-made crossover of X-men meets Doctor Who, this was real life… this is the place where Edward Scissorhands can take Resident Evil zombie slayer Alice out for dinner and not get a second glance. This is the Philadelphia Comic Con.

Radio Times picked up on the “what if” question every Matt Smith fan had on their mind; if Smith had stayed, what would Eleven have been like going forward? Smith said:

If my Doctor had carried on he’d have become a bit meaner and a bit tougher. The Universe would have weighed on his shoulders a little more which would have been cool. Damn, I should have stayed.

The last bit Radio Times reckon is jokingly said; however, given the increasing number of quotes from Smith along the same lines, I can’t help but imagine Matt Smith does have a tinge of regret over leaving the role.

Former Amy Pond actress, Karen Gillan, was also on hand for the panel and offered some thoughts on what would have happened with Amy had she stayed with the show longer:

Maybe there could be a series where we see Amy in therapy when she went through four psychiatrists. She’s talking about the Raggedy Man and they’re like, ‘You’re crazy!’

In another piece, with origins from Philly Comic Con, Radio Times is also running a story on Smith and Gillan’s Shakespearean aspirations. When asked by a fan at the panel discussion if they had performed Shakespeare previously, Smith said:

I have privately in my Doctor Who costume looking at pictures of David Tennant as Hamlet. I’d like to one day. I’d quite like to play Macbeth.

Gillan chimed in suggesting she could play Lady Macbeth and Smith agreed they should make it happen. Of course, that’s all well and good until someone actually puts forth a new production of the play and gets in contact with them to talk about taking the roles.

Loads of goodies coming out of Wizard World, eh, dear reader? What tickles your fancy the most, a meaner Eleventh Doctor or Smith as Macbeth? Were you at Philladelphia Comic Con? Let us know in the comments!

The post Philadelphia Comic Con Press Roundup appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Has Character Options Finally Seen The Light?

Andrew Reynolds 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 only a one and a quarter inch difference but to fans it represents the gulf between what Character Options are offering and what ardent collectors want – the 3.75” Doctor Who figures have been nothing if not divisive.

Robbed of all subtly and nuance thanks to the reduced size (My God! What happened to Clara’s face?) and seemingly isolated from continuity by the decision to make that change mid-range (with no alternative 5” size offered – for an example of what you should offer collectors, see the recent changes to the Doctor Who DVD sleeves) you need only look in stores to see that both customers and buyers don’t really care for them.

Take this recent Kasterborous Instagram post from a major chain of UK toy shops: Where are the displays? Where is the clearly demarked Doctor Who section? Where is the expansive range of figures in that size?

You don’t have to worry about blinking around those Weeping Angels; they’re going nowhere.

Without knowing exactly what effect the negative feedback from fans has had on sales (apart from the objective look at those shelves above and a brief glance at the comments sections of any report about collectibles) it’s hard to judge whether or not Character has reacted at all to your comments.

However, there are encouraging signs that Character have learned the kind of lesson even the most hopeless candidate from The Apprentice picks up at around week four.

Peter Capaldi has finally got his own 5” figure!

Cast aside the louche, overbearing eyebrow of the 3.75” figure and feast your eyes upon the finer details of his slightly less louche, overbearing eyebrow (to be honest, how can anyone capture that stare in moulded plastic? It’s impossible without casting some sort of incantation into a vat of plastic).

Although it’s not of Capaldi in his Twelfth Doctor clothes, it’s a step in the right direction!

A new ‘Regeneration Set’ based on the end of The Time of The Doctor has been announced for later this year, complete with a whole host of alternative heads for that purple tweed clad body.

The figure features two alternative heads – one of the Eleventh Doctor’s ‘aged’ appearance and one of the Twelfth Doctor, which, yes my friend, comes complete with removable bow tie to fully recreate his first manic appearance.

Other accessories include the Doctor’s sonic screwdriver, a walking stick, and perhaps best of all, Handles – the Doctor’s Cyberman-head companion during the earliest parts of his time on Trenzalore. There is no news on whether you can swap Handles out for one of those alternate heads.

Exciting? Yes, but does it solve the problem or have we simply fallen for what scientists call ‘The Malibu Stacy Has a New Hat! Syndrome’ With only one figure announced in the ‘normal’ size, it’s difficult to say but with a new Doctor whose purpose and look have been taken from the past, perhaps Character have a found new purpose in their past too.

The Time of The Doctor 5″ Figure Set will be available for $34.99 later this year in both the UK and the US.

The post Has Character Options Finally Seen The Light? appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Karen Gillan’s Naked Selfie!

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.

“Karen Gillan Naked”; “Karen Gillan Nude”; “Karen Gillan Topless”; “Karen Gillan NSFW”; “Karen Gillan Selfie”: yep, this certainly ticks all the boxes. And that’s why former companion, Karen Gillan has posed completely naked for a selfie to promote her new sitcom, erm, Selfie for ABC.

Unfortunately Sadly Stop crying because You can’t see anything in the photo, so while you may not want your kids to see the following picture, it doesn’t show anything that needs mass censorship. Don’t panic. Nonetheless, it’s something naughty internet users have been looking for ever since she first appeared as Amy Pond alongside Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor in Series 5 (2010). And as you can see, the photo is below, so you’re not actually reading this sentence, are you?

Okay, so why did she do it? It’s not as revealing as a topless Jenna Coleman cropping up in Room at the Top, something done before she was cast in Doctor Who and thus was unintentional, but which also garnered lots of media attention. (The show itself, by the way, was excellent, so it’s a wonder why it’s not been released on DVD yet.) Now, anyone searching for nude Karen Gillan photos will get this in their search engine, a promotion – complete with hashtag – for Selfie. Good publicity? Oh, I’d certainly say so.

The sitcom is a sort of updated My Fair Lady starring Gillan as the “Instafamous” Eliza Dooley, alongside Star Trek‘s John Cho. It’s been picked up for a full series after a pilot that wasn’t too well-received; regardless, it will be watched by the shed load.

Karen, of course, continues to look completely beautiful in the picture, which has now been featured across the worldwide web, including on the Radio Times.

Unfortunately Sadly Stop crying because The resolution isn’t good enough to set as your wallpaper, in case you were wondering.

Anyway, it will forever remain a strong candidate for Best Photo Ever.

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Karen’s Nebula on Empire Magazine Cover!

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.

This month’s Empire magazine turns the spotlight on the upcoming Marvel movie, Guardians of the Galaxy, and subscribers receive a very special cover featuring the three villains of the movie – and yes, that includes former Doctor Who companion, Karen Gillan as Nebula!

Unfortunately for non-subscribers, this is what Empire does: release a standard cover for retailers and create a special cover, mostly-devoid of spiel, for loyal readers. Nonetheless, that doesn’t stop us gawking at the limited edition covers on the net and trying to control our drool.

It’s a good thing that the regular cover, despite featuring no Karen at all, is still very cool.

James Gunn, director of Guardians of the Galaxy, tells Empire:

There’s a lot of strange stuff in the movie. But that’s the thing that makes it different. For cinema to remain relevant, you really need to not make every film seem like it’s Transformers 18 and to try to make things that are a little bit different.

Frankly, if Karen were in it, I’d even watch Transformers.

To read the full feature, grab your copy later this week; the issue is released in UK stores on Thursday. The movie, meanwhile, hits UK cinemas in just over a month’s time (31st July), and the USA the following day!

The post Karen’s Nebula on Empire Magazine Cover! appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

McGann: BBC “Missed a Trick” by Not Casting Female Doctor

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.

Paul McGann reckons the BBC ‘missed a trick’ by not casting a woman as the Doctor.

In comments made during an appearance before the Cambridge Union Society, Paul joined the now-not-inconsiderable number of people who think it’s about time for the programme to opt for a female lead.

Looking very much at home in the grand surroundings (those fine leather armchairs would go nicely in his version of the TARDIS) he told the audience he’d have gone for Tilda Swinton or Diana Quick in the role, suggesting they could both bring brilliant qualities to ‘one of the greatest characters ever written’.

In other news, Paul said he fancies a role in HBO hit Game of Thrones, if for no other reason that it would guarantee him a pension.

Whatever your views on the female Doctor debate, it does feel as though the ground is shifting on this issue. Rather like gay marriage being legislated for or a Brit winning Wimbledon, some things are so difficult to imagine ever coming to pass as to be pretty much unthinkable until one day they just… happen. And we all carry on with our lives and, eventually, most of us will wonder what all the fuss was about.

Whether we’re quite at that point yet is a tough one to call. There are perfectly valid arguments on both sides, of course. Steven Moffat has talked about the time not feeling right and said it has been female fans who have been the ones most strongly urging against a female Doctor (that one opens up a whole other debate of its own…). The showrunner has also said it’s about picking the right actor for the part, and that ‘when that person is a woman, that’s the day it will happen’.

Colin Baker thinks there should a woman in the role, but that timidity on the BBC’s part is stopping it from happening. Peter Davison is among who have argued that the role is essentially a male one, and that it would be ‘a bit odd’ to go against that.

What do you think? Do you have a strong view, for or against a female Doctor? Are you open to being persuaded? Would Paul’s choices have made for a good Doctor? Who would be your choice for the first woman in the role?

(Via Cambridge News.)

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Colin Baker: Peter Capaldi is “Perfect”

Alex Skerratt 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.

Just when we thought Steven Moffat was going to take the plunge and cast the youngest ever Doctor (i.e. my unborn child), he took everyone by surprise and cast the second oldest, in the shape of Peter Capaldi. (I say “surprise” – his name was all over the papers! But there was still a part of me that thought it was too good to be true, and that he’d settle for someone of an ‘Aneurin Barnard’ ilk.)

Anyway – one man who was particularly impressed with this casting choice is former Time Lord Colin Baker, who took up the TARDIS keys in 1984 at the age of 40 – and played Maxil, a further Gallifreyan, in Arc of Infinity. In a recent interview, he seemed to think Capaldi was an ideal candidate…

“Peter is a perfect fit for the role. And if they hadn’t come up with the idea, eventually someone would have, because his work leads inextricably to the moment of playing Doctor Who.”

Indeed it does. Remember, Peter Capaldi appeared in The Vicar of Dibley back in 1994, penned by subsequent Who scribe Richard Curtis, who wrote Vincent and the Doctor. He then played Lobus Caecilius in 2008′s The Fires of Pompeii, followed by John Frobisher in Torchwood: Children of Earth. Plus he also wrote various letters to the Radio Times and Doctor Who fanzines during the classic era. And then he became the first ever Doctor to appear as the Doctor before his regeneration (I refer you back to that awesome TARDIS scene in The Day of the Doctor). So clearly, at some point in the future, Peter Capaldi is going to look into the time vortex and scatter his name through time and space, a la Rose in The Parting of the Ways.

Look closely at Colin Baker’s words. You can tell that’s what he’s alluding to: “his work leads inextricably to the moment of playing Doctor Who.” He’s referring to a masterplan of Bad Wolf proportions. (Not Capaldi’s Oscar.)

Conspiracy theories aside, it must be nice for an incoming Doctor to receive the blessing of one of his predecessors. On the more delicate topic of David Tennant and Matt Smith’s ages, though, Mr Baker was a little more… blunt.

“[Peter Capaldi's] a grown up! Not like all these bloody kids who have been playing it for the last 10 years. … [Peter's] about the same age as William Hartnell was when he started. To be fair to both David and Matt, they may be young in years, but in fact their performances convinced me they were 900 years old, going on 1000! So they were young men who totally played the Doctor… I just want older actors to get work, and I’m glad they have.”

I agree with many of Colin Baker’s sentiments here. I don’t think the age of the actor necessarily impinges on how they ‘give life’ to the character they’re playing (Matt Smith, for example, is now my all-time favourite Doctor after William Hartnell, and they’re at opposite ends of the scale!). And I agree with him in that I, too, want older actors to get work. And I agree with him about Capaldi being perfect.

So to sum up, I agree with you, Colin. Please mention me in your next interview!

What about you, fellow Kasterborites? Are you happy about Peter Capaldi’s casting? Is the actor’s age an issue when it comes to Doctor Who? Was Matt Smith too young? Let us know your thoughts.

I must now retire to my tent, at the bottom of Colin’s driveway. Until next time faithful readers!

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Monday News: Somewhere in Time, the Doctor Says Farewell to Amy

Danny_Weasel 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.

Hold onto your screwdrivers everyone: it’s news blast time - and it’s a biggie today!

The Clara Theory

Doctor Who would be nothing if not for the rabid theorizing of its fan base about any number of things in the show, from tying timelines together to explaining anomalies there is no end to the lengths we Whovians will go to make things fit. Well, the latest one to add to the pile marked ‘plausable’ is from Richard Forbes who speculates that Clara’s continuing issues with the TARDIS could stem from the fact that (brace yourselves here folks) Clara is the TARDIS.

At a first glance you may, like myself I’m ashamed to admit, scoff at the notion. But Mr Forbes has some pretty strong evidence to back up his idea, and lots of it fits the puzzle. If he isn’t right then I almost hope that The Moff spots it and steals it as it makes so much sense and would make for a unique twist.

Freema joins Wachowski’s new Netflix series

One of my personal favourite companions, Martha Jones has landed herself a part in the new Netflix exclusive sci-fi series Sense8 being made by Andy and Lana Wachowski, the people who brought us The Matrix (but let’s not mention the sequels), Speed Racer (I liked it, honest) and Cloud Atlas (seriously good). The show is also being produced by Babylon 5 creator and comic book writing legend J. Michael Straczynski and will focus on a group of eight people around the world who are joined by telepathy. Filming is being undertaken on a global scale with locales such as the US, the UK, Iceland, South Korea, India, Germany, Mexico and Kenya.

Other cast members announced for the series include Daryl Hannah and Lost star Naveen Andrews; Stargate Universe actor Brian J Smith, Cloud Atlas‘ Doona Bae and Jamie Clayton, from US TV series Hung, will also feature alongside British actors Tuppence Middleton and Aml Ameen.

Epic Collection up for Auction

A truly breathtaking collection of Doctor Who memorabilia is going under the hammer along with merchandise and props from other sci-fi staples like Star Wars, Star Trek, and Thunderbirds will go up for grabs with no reserves set.

The collection was seized from a couple in Halifax who have been in court for their part in a conspiracy to steal £2.5m from a West Yorkshire firm. The couple used their ill gotten gains to buy £17,000 of collectables, including six original Star Trek costumes from the TV series, a £500,000 house and spent almost £200,000 on holidays. The entire collection goes to auction in Northern Ireland on friday.

Hartnell’s Farewell to Susan… By the Eleventh Doctor!

A rather clever YouTuber has crafted a tribute to both the first and last (not counting the upcoming Capaldi) Doctors. Doing a rather good impression, DoctorTripod has Matt Smith’s Doctor give the famous Farewell speech from ‘Dalek Invasion of Earth‘ to Amy Pond, and the result is quite impressive.

I wanted to try this with another Doctor but the only way that much of the dialogue would work was with the Eleventh, and it just clicked. Some may call this sacrilege but it is just a bit of fun.

How to make a Tom Baker Scarf

We all want one; some of us are lucky enough to have one and now you don’t need a PhD in knitting or crochet or a large bank balance to be able to have one. The first of two posts have gone live covering some very simple ways that you, or your young Whovians can get creative on a budget. This first article covers making a Tom Baker scarf style loom bead creation, be that bracelet or necklace. The second method is to create a scarf using strips of felt and a little bit of basic stitch work. If these two ingenious methods are anything to go by then section two, which is listed as coming soon, should be well worth checking out.

Who Knows coming to Sydney

A new production based on Doctor Who and its fans is headed to a Theatre in Sydney, Australia in the form of Who Knows.

Switching between reality and fantasy, Who Knows tells the story of Russell Lambert, a ‘loser’ who’s about to turn 30 and has a burning passion for Doctor Who, and his quest to save the world at a Doctor Who convention. Director Kyle Stephens says the characters in the show are based on Doctor Who fans and their perception of the events unfolding around them:

“The whole show acts out as a Doctor Who episode in the minds of fans… It is a comedy, but there is a bit of love and drama in there as well.”

Stephens adds that while the show will naturally be a big hit with Whovians, it will not alienate non-fans (do those exist? How terrible for them) and will be easy to follow for those unfamiliar with the show. The show will run 25th June to 8th July at King Street Theatre, 644 King St, Newtown with tickets ranging between $22-35.

Somewhere in Time (and Space)

Eagle-eyed fans have found a hidden treat for fans in one of the more unlikely of places: the cover of a Iron Maiden album!

The ‘Somewhere in Time’ album from the late 80′s is littered with references to various tracks on the album, such as the Phantom Opera House, the Ancient Mariner Seafood reataurent and the Aces High Bar, but in amongst the nods lurk other items, including the TARDIS in all her glory. This is not her only appearance on the bands artwork as she is also to be seen of the front of the single ‘Wasted Years’ hurtling out of what could easily be the time vortex. It is also fun to try and search out another famous figure on the album cover, namely Batman. Good luck spotting him!

So what are your thoughts on this deluge of news? Are you excited at the thought of Freema in a Wachowski’s production? Do you have a counter theory to the Clara is the TARDIS notion? Perhaps you have the ultimate cheap idea on how to make that iconic scarf? As always we want to hear from you, loyal kasterborites. Speak to us in the space below.

The post Monday News: Somewhere in Time, the Doctor Says Farewell to Amy appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

The Five(Ish) Doctors Reboot… The Sequel?

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.

Last year’s 50th anniversary gem, The Five(Ish) Doctors Reboot, could be getting a sequel, according to Eighth Doctor, Paul McGann!

It’s great news for anyone who enjoyed the half-an-hour special starring Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and McGann (and then some!), which saw the actors try their hardest to get into the 50th anniversary special, The Day of the Doctor.

McGann mentioned that a follow-up was in the works at an event for the Cambridge Union Society, although this hasn’t been officially confirmed as yet.

The Five(Ish) Doctors Reboot is also expected to be released on DVD soon, possibly in a special anniversary boxset with The Day of the Doctor and The Time of the Doctor, both starring Matt Smith and Jenna Coleman. But if you live in the UK, you can still watch it on iPlayer - for now…

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Series 8 Filming Photos: The Doctor and Clara in Cardiff!

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.

There is nothing particularly spoiler-ish about these photos, but if you’re the sort of Whovian that prefers complete mental “tabula rasa” going into a new series of Doctor Who, you’ve been duly noted. That being said, Wales Online has shared some new photos of filming that took place in Cardiff this week at the Trade Street Cafe. While the Doctor and his companions making a jaunt in and around Cardiff is nothing new since the show returned in 2005, it is interesting to wonder exactly what they’re up to and if the Cafe will serve as more to the plot than a backdrop.

In addition, Wales Online has also ran a follow up piece listing some of the other “foodie haunts” that Doctor and company have frequented over the past 9 years or so. It’s a pretty solid list, even including the Kardomah Cafe, where the Tenth Doctor and Wilf have their tender discussion on Donna and how regeneration affects our favorite Time Lord.

Why the following idea hasn’t been put into action is beyond me, but with a list like that it seems that a Doctor Who Food Tour could be a welcome official (or unofficial) addition to the Doctor Who Experience Walking Tour (which does encompass a number of filming locales in the Cardiff area). Just “food” for thought.

What do you make of the pictures, dear reader? Can you spy any details that might explain the Doctor and Clara’s presence in Cardiff? And finally, does the fact that Doctor Who filmed a scene in a restaurant/bar/cafe make your more likely to check it out? Sound off below!

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