Christian Cawley's Blog, page 312

An Adventure in Space and Time Reaction

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.

Lovingly crafted and beautifully executed An Adventure in Space and Time – the 50th anniversary docudrama about the group of unlikely outsiders who through ingenuity, hard work and no small amount of serendipity broke boundaries and created Doctor Who – was a triumph.

Unsurprisingly then, when it came to life-long fan Mark Gatiss telling the story of the Doctor’s inception both in terms of science fiction and historical context – the heart ruled the head.

That decision lead to the show receiving an audience of 2.2 million viewers (a 9.7% share of the audience), according to unofficial overnight viewing figures.

Billing the special as ‘the ultimate Hartnell historical’ SFX gets to core of what made Mark Gatiss’ script so special; letting a very human tale of spirited defiance come to the fore:

Mark Gatiss’ script is a fistful of love letters: to the spirit of the BBC, to the fallen kingdom of Television Centre, to the clever, risk-taking outsiders who gave us Doctor Who, to that quiet British bravery that insists the best defence against bad news is to say “I’ll make us a nice cup of tea.” It takes familiar facts and anecdotes – the scrape of key on piano wire that became the uncanny howl of the TARDIS, Sydney Newman’s immortally earthy description of Verity Lambert as all “piss and vinegar” – and stitches them into drama, giving a human face to the holy writ of fandom.

And central to that drama was the pitch perfect roster of outstanding performances given by the able cast – The Telegraph managed to distil what makes those behind the scenes characters so compelling, while praising each performance for capturing that essence:

It was essentially a triumph of four outsiders. Hartnell felt typecast in hardman roles (“All they ever offer me is crooks and sergeant bloody majors”). Brash Canadian executive Sydney Newman (Brian Cox) had arrived at the staid old Beeb from ghastly ITV and was desperate to inject new ideas. Budding producer Verity Lambert (Call The Midwife’s Jessica Raine, in the standout performance alongside Bradley’s) was frustrated by the industry’s glass ceiling. “It’s a sea of fag smoke, tweed and sweaty men,” she said. The young director was Indian-born Waris Hussein.

Lambert called their double act (look away now, PC police) “the posh wog and the pushy Jewish bird”. All four were misfits in different ways, yet found unlikely salvation in a Saturday teatime sci-fi romp, dreamed up to plug the gap in the schedules between Grandstand and Jukebox Jury.

Ultimately, this was the tale of one man’s journey from crotchety, typecast actor to an embraced cultural icon, and as Digital Spy note, the one bone of contention with the adaptation may just be the portrayal of the Doctor himself – William Hartnell:

Here, the actor resembles the popular image of the first Doctor – crotchety and irritable, but with a good heart. Gatiss didn’t want this to be a “hatchet job” and in this anniversary year, it’s only natural to want to give any Doctor Who-related programming a celebratory slant.

But the darker elements of Hartnell’s personality are somewhat glossed over and the closest we come to one of his famed on-set altercations is a brief scene in which he brusquely tells co-star Carole Ann Ford (Claudia Grant) that she shouldn’t spend her cash so quickly.

Did Hartnell really go on quite such an obvious emotional journey – from snapping at his granddaughter to larking about with kiddies in a park? Was his bad behaviour really just the result of an unquenchable feeling of loneliness, amplified by Doctor Who’s endless stream of cast and crew changes?

You could easily pick at the veracity of the script, but to do so would be rather missing the point of what Mark Gatiss was setting out to achieve. An Adventure in Space and Time isn’t meant to be taken as a historical document.

And it’s the final image – a spiritual link between where we have been and what lies ahead that may be the specials biggest concession to fans, and its most touching moment – as The Independent observes:

In Doctor Who, an end is always a beginning, and so it was with Mark Gatiss’s cleverly resonant script. Not only did we have the always exciting opportunity to see two Doctors share a screen, but Hartnell’s pathos-tinged handover to Patrick Troughton (a cameo from Gatiss’ League of Gentleman chum, Reece Shearsmith) was also followed by the apparition of a rather more recent incarnation.

Want more? Don’t miss Kasterborous’ own review of An Adventure in Space and Time!

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Lips Are Sealed On Billie Piper’s Part

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.

We’re just hours away from enjoying The Day of the Doctor - and still the part Billie Piper is set to play in Doctor Who‘s 50th anniversary is causing a buzz of exceitement among fans!

While we’re expecting many surprises in the cinematic episode, the role of Piper – apparently not as the Rose Tyler we remember – has been he subject of discussion at this weekend’s Doctor Who Celebration in London. On a panel yesterday with Jenna Coleman, Matt Smith, Steven Moffat and departing producer Marcus Wilson, the Clara Oswald actress confessed:

I have been told to say nothing regarding Billie. So that will be a big surprise tomorrow night.

A surprise indeed! Meanwhile, Coleman confessed that her saddest moment on the show so far is “Saying goodbye to this one,” as she pointed at Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith.

:sniff:

(Via BBC America.)

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Two Doctors on The Graham Norton Show [VIDEO]

James Lomond 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.

Doctors Ten and Eleven received the Graham Norton treatment last night on a star-studded sofa. Accompanying Smith and Tennant were Emma Thompson, geek-chic comedian Jimmy Carr and singer Robbie Williams.

Fans were treated to a glimpse of Tennant’s latest Shakespeare-inspired hairstyle – it’s, umm… a bit girly. And speaking of girls, according to Digital Spy, Thompson would have loved to play the Doctor if offered the part and suggests women might need “their own kind of new time-travelling companion”… Could we have a potential convincing female Doctor in our Emms?

Chortlesome discussion of the 50th anniversary and more was enjoyed, including Graham Norton’s famous red chair…

If you missed the full show, catch up on iPlayer for some irreverent celebrity chat. For the main event, click play above, and look out for some new dialogue that you won’t have seen yet!

Of course this wasn’t the first time Graham and the Doctor have crossed paths – you may recall, during the show’s return episode in 2005 the soundtrack from the Graham Norton show bled through into a would-be creepy scene in the basement of Rose’s department store. Not satisfied with that auditory invasion, a *coming up next * ident with a mini-animated Graham appeared over the dramatic climax to The Time of the Angels. Much indignation. But ever the good sport Graham made amends…

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Billie Piper 50th Anniversary Interview

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.

Red Carpet News TV have released a brand new interview with Billie Piper on their YouTube channel.

Speaking at the Showmasters London Film and Comic Con Winter event, Billie reflected on why Doctor Who had endured for almost 50 years:

There’s something very domestic and British and emotional about it and I think that’s why people keep coming back time after time, because it has an enormous imagination but it’s full of heart.

Billie also shared her thoughts on monsters, Peter Capaldi and The Day of the Doctor.

Which is today.

:O

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US Fans Get Anniversary Savings at Entertainment Earth!

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.

As if there aren’t enough reasons to spend your hard-earned cash in this anniversary year, US online megastore Entertainment Earth has announced big savings on Doctor Who merchandise.

On the big day itself, shoppers can get 34-50% off selected items including:

Fourth Doctor and Sontaran Styre Action Figures
Cyberleader and The Master Exclusive Action Figures
Exclusive Third Doctor Sonic Screwdriver
Figural TARDIS Mug
TARDIS Safe Bank

The deals apply for one day only – November 23rd.

You can pick these deals up all day at Entertainment Earth’s sale website.

There’s certainly been a bumper collection of anniversary merchandise to choose from – what’s been your favourite?

The post US Fans Get Anniversary Savings at Entertainment Earth! appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Marco Polo Discovery Claim: Recorded By A Fan?

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.

Ever since the missing episodes #omnirumour train started rolling, one serial that has often been mentioned is lost Doctor Who classic Marco Polo from 1964.

Even as recently as last week there were rumours that an episode from the seven parter starring William Hartnell, Carole Ann Ford, Jacqueline Hill and William Russell – with Mark Eden as the titular historical figure – would be aired at the upcoming BFI Missing Believed Wiped event in Scotland.

Now The Mirror has broken ranks among the printed press to go public with a claim that the episodes were recorded with 16mm cine film a they were broadcast! While there are rumours that the news might be confirmed today – and what better day than Doctor Who‘s 50th anniversary – it seems likely that the BBC will announce the release of the news carefully, as they did back in October with The Web of Fear and The Enemy of the World.

Claims their source:

This is a massive deal for Doctor Who fans, these episodes were hugely popular with viewers when they were first shown and are set to be a hit again. This new discovery is all down to a dedicated fan who spent ages recording the episodes back in the sixties.

The fan had been holding onto these tapes for a long time and when the BBC found out about the tapes they jumped at the chance of using them. It’s a massive coup for the broadcaster.

Unfortunately there is no clue given as to just how many episodes the unnamed fan recorded in this way. The source continues:

The recording – which is a silent film – came out really clearly so it will be easy to watch… the fan did it in a very professional way.

There are already audio recordings of the episodes so the Beeb have had to match everything up. There are some gaps in the audio so it has been a painstaking process. Where there are gaps in audio they are going to be re-recorded using contemporary actors who sound as close to the original actors as possible.

At present, this is nothing more than rumours and claims. Until a formal announcement is forthcoming, we can only speculate. However, it is a tantalising proposition!

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Tennant: ‘Delicious’ to Meet Eleventh 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.

David Tennant says he relishes the ‘delicious’ scenario of the Doctor meeting himself in the anniversary special.

In a newly released interview, recorded with a rather lovely Dalek graphic in the background, David puts it in that nicely understated way of his:

“A character meeting a version of himself is not something you come across in a lot of drama…”

David also reiterates that, in spite of fans’ expectations that he was always a shoo-in to appear in the big 50th, it was only relatively close to production that his involvement was sealed.

He also recalls his excitement at seeing The Five Doctors in 1983 as a twelve year old (“it was electrically exciting!”) in an era when opportunities to see former incarnations of the Doctor were so much more limited than today.

What about you? Which was the Doctor Who episode you most looked forward to ever?

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#SaveTheDay with Google Doodle Anniversary Special

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.

You know those Google Doodles which they put on their home page to mark a noteworthy date or event? Well it’s Doctor Who‘s turn to feature in this very special anniversary week.

Those Daleks have only gone and stolen the Google logo (I know, the fiends…) and it’s up to you as the Doctor to retrieve it.

You can select your chosen incarnation (War Doctor not included) and proceed through the different scenarios, avoiding Daleks and other hazards along the way. Once you’ve got the precious letter back, head for the TARDIS to journey through the vortex to the next adventure.

In a nice touch, if your Doctor gets exterminated he’ll regenerate before your eyes! It seems, however, that capturing the full technicolor glory of the Sixth Doctor’s coat was beyond even Google’s finest boffins.

Scenarios included in the game include a rather grubby factory, modern day London (a bit like the programme in the Rose Tyler era, really), and a gloomy cemetery where it’s not just the Daleks you need to worry about…

(To see more, either visit Google – duh – or check out this techie website.)

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DWM #467 Goes To Reprint!

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.

The latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine, celebrating 50 years of our favourite show, is selling out fast in stories nationwide.

The special came out last Thursday and is the largest selling issue for decades! They’ve even had to reprint it, and as DWM editor Tom Spilsbury noted on Twitter, that never happens! He said:

“It’s astonishing! I’ve never seen anything like it. Truth be told, I was a little nervous about the 50th anniversary issue – we worked hard to put together a really good package for readers, but you never quite know how anything is going to go down. You just cross you fingers and hope people like it. We’ve been overwhelmed with messages from readers who have enjoyed the new magazine – but what has been even more exciting is seeing after just a few days on sale, the issue was selling out across the country! We’ve been taken completely by surprise, as we’d already printed a lot more copies than usual, so Panini has taken the unprecedented step of reprinting the issue in order to get more stock out to the shops.

 

I was looking back at past sales figures, and it’s sold even more copies than the ‘Bad Wolf’ edition of 2008 (issue 397), which was the previous highest seller of recent years. To go back to find an issue that has sold even more copies… well, it’s the early 1980s at least – and then our records run out. So I can truthfully say it’s the highest selling issue of DWM since records began! And that’s not even including digital sales. An amazing thing for the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who.

 

Thank you so much to all our readers, for your support over the years. To keep the magazine going for the 16 years when the TV show itself had gone off air is down to your passion and loyalty. And if you haven’t got your anniversary issue yet – well, snap it up fast, before it dematerialises for good!”

According to Doctor Who News, 50,000 copies were initially published, with an additional 15,000 hitting shelves soon. Including 12 beautiful art cards, 9 audio downloads, and a special supplement, you can find out more about Doctor Who Magazine #467 here.

If you’re the one Whovian in the UK who hasn’t bought the issue, RRP £7.99, then you know what to do!

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Don’t Miss The Culture Show – Me, You and Doctor Who

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.

Tonight’s Doctor Who 50th anniversary treat – assuming you’re not at the big event in London – comes in the shape of a Culture Show special by Matthew Sweet.

Me, You and Doctor Who is an in-depth look at how what was originally planned as a children’s show (although never produced by a children’s department) became a cultural phenomenon. Here’s the BBC synopsis:

Why has a kids TV show about an eccentric man with a box that can travel anywhere in time and space become the BBC’s longest running TV drama – and one of Britain’s biggest brands?

 

On its 50th anniversary, lifelong fan Matthew Sweet argues you ignore Doctor Who at your peril. It may be a piece of children’s television, but he believes it’s one of the most important cultural artefacts of modern Britain. Put simply, Doctor Who matters.

 

In this hour-long Culture Show special, BBC Two’s flagship arts programme explores with wit, authority and affection, why Doctor Who has become entrenched in British life. Matthew Sweet traces the 50 years of extraordinary social change and uncertainty that sent generations of children scuttling behind the sofa. How did a pepper pot, the Nazis and a sink plunger result in the scariest adversaries of our time – the Daleks?

 

Sweet argues how in turn the show became a cultural force in its own right, influencing music, design and storytelling – whether pioneering electronica (Delia Derbyshire), or giving the unknown Douglas Adams a crucial break. Matthew meets both famous faces as well as cast, crew and Doctors past and present (from current Doctor Matt Smith to Richard Martin, the maverick director who first brought the Daleks to screens in 1964) to find out how Doctor Who has changed our culture

We’ve got a segment about Terry Nation and Raymond Cusick’s iconic creation, the Dalek in the video player above. Don’t miss The Culture Show: Me, You and Doctor Who – BBC Two, 9.30pm tonight, and find out more at the show’s dedicated page.

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