Christian Cawley's Blog, page 67

Doctor Who Festival Adds More Time Lord Treats!

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.

BBC Worldwide has today confirmed additional activities for the official Doctor Who Festival, including a special guest appearance by Mark Gatiss on Friday 13th November. Doctor Who Festival is the only official event this year to include appearances from Peter Capaldi, Michelle Gomez and Ingrid Oliver as well as Executive Producer Steven Moffat. An event for fans of all ages, the Festival offers a fantastic opportunity to get the inside track from the cast and crew of Doctor Who in this extravaganza of immersive and interactive opportunities.

Along with Theatre Panels with the show’s stars, further panels have now been scheduled to take place across the weekend with all seven Series 9 writers, as well as shows and demonstrations by special effects companies Real SFX and Millennium FX, and exclusive looks at three sets from Series 9. Ticket holders also get the chance to take part in Drama School sessions run by one of the show’s Directors, in addition to trying their hand out at some of the many jobs on set in the Production Village.

Here, Doctor Who: The Fan Show gives you an overview of what to expect and looks at what Millennium FX will be offering fans…

So what else can you expect?

The minds behind Doctor Who will be quizzed in the Writer’s Panel where all series 9 writers; Steven Moffat, Mark Gatiss, Sarah Dollard, Toby Whithouse, Catherine Tregenna, Peter Harness and Jamie Mathieson will talk through the development and design of some of the show’s favourite characters and compelling storylines
Special Effects supervisor Danny Hargreaves and his team at Real SFX reveal what happens on a typical day’s filming and wow fans with their impressive live show
Multi-award winning artists Millennium FX will be bringing a monster to life in a live demonstration
Big Finish will give ticket holders the opportunity to have a go at voice acting, learning from the voice of the Daleks himself, Nick Briggs
Photo opportunities with Mark Gatiss, Danny Hargreaves and Nick Briggs are also now available for purchase via the website
Visitors will experience what it’s really like to be on the Doctor Who set in front of and behind the camera in the Drama School and Production Village
Two of the iconic sets from series 9 will be on open display to all ticket holders, and the set of Clara’s Living Room will be available to ticket holders for photo opportunities
Fans of the show will also be put to the test in the Doctor Who Festival Cosplay Showcase and the Fan Challenge

**For further details on the activities at Doctor Who Festival, visit www.doctorwhofestival.com

Are tickets still available? You BETCHA!

Tickets for Saturday have almost sold out. 

Standard ticket: £65
Standard child ticket: £30
Standard family ticket: £165
TARDIS ticket: £110 SOLD OUT
TARDIS child ticket: £50 SOLD OUT
TARDIS family ticket: £285 SOLD OUT

The ticket price includes day entry to the Festival, access to three theatre shows, lanyard, show planner and access to all the activity in the Festival Hall. TARDIS tickets also include the brochure, lounge access, front block theatre show seats and a Limited Edition Doctor Who Festival 2015 T-shirt. Tickets, further information and monthly newsletters are available from www.doctorwhofestival.com

Doctor Who Festival will also be coming to Australia a week after on 21st-22nd November 2015. Peter Capaldi and Steven Moffat will also be attending the Australian event.

The post Doctor Who Festival Adds More Time Lord Treats! appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Moffat: We’re Not Looking for a New Doctor

David Power 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.

Contrary to certain rumours, in a recent interview with Daily Record at a pre screening of Series 9’s opening episode The Magician’s Apprentice, Steven Moffat confirmed that they’re not currently looking for a new Doctor.

He stated:

“We’ve not got our eye on other Doctors. I’m sure Peter is going to be Doctor Who forever. We simply aren’t looking. It doesn’t stop people applying!”

When asked what he could say about the upcoming special, he replied “That box is bigger on the inside. Hopefully everyone will look forward to all of it – the monsters, the adventures an awful lot of running and explosions.”

He went on, discussing the difficulty (or otherwise) of conceiving ideas for the show.“If it were difficult to come up with ideas for Doctor Who it’s time to stop doing it. You have the whole universe to blow up so I’ve not run out yet.”

Finally, when asked about if Steven would like to have a cameo in Doctor Who, Moffat revealed that he’s already made such an appearance!

“I’m a terrible actor. you don’t want to see me on that screen. I’m neither good at acting or beautiful. I once played a Dalek in a Comic Relief sketch I wrote. I hated it. I don’t want to be on screen. I don’t like it.”

We know; we’ve seen The Five-ish Doctors (Reboot)…

The post Moffat: We’re Not Looking for a New Doctor appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

My Top 10 Doctor Who Revival Tracks

Josh Maxton 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.

Raise your hand if you love Murray Gold’s work! Okay… Well I can’t actually see your hands, but I’m sure many of you agree with me that Murray Gold is pretty fantastic.

Our Murray Gold has been writing the show’s music since 2005. In fact, Murray Gold is so fantastic that it’s even difficult to choose only ten of his pieces to call amazing. I think he’s just gotten better and better as the new series has progressed. I can’t even rank them because they’re all just too great. So, without further ado, I give you 10 of my favorite tracks, in no particular order.

Spoonheads (Series 7, The Bells of St. John)

Let me start out by saying this: I really have a liking for Series 7, as well as for Matt Smith’s Doctor. I know many fans would disagree with me for liking series 7, but I still do. To me, Matt left on such a high note. Series 7 wasn’t as good as Series 5, but it still receives a lot of unwarranted hate. The Bells of St. John really was a fantastic episode, even though it was about people being uploaded into the Wi-Fi. Our whole fandom sounds pretty bonkers if you think about it. A man who can regenerate travels around with earthlings to see the universe, and his biggest enemies are megalomaniac pepper shakers (not judging the Daleks by saying that). It sounds a bit crazy but it’s amazing at the same time. It’s drama in some of it’s best forms. This idea is why episodes about people being uploaded into the Wi-Fi (or similar ideas) work well. If you don’t like the episode or the series it’s from, that’s quite alright. I can respect that.

The Doctor Forever (Series 3-4, various)

David Tennant was my first Doctor, so I will always have a place in my hearts for him. Typically, him and Smith are at the top of my list. Some times David comes out top, and sometimes Matt comes out top. It’s a bit wibbly-wobbly. This track, which is David’s main theme (you almost can’t say it isn’t when this theme started playing in the 50th anniversary special), is really quite nice. To me, this track really captures the Tenth Doctor’s darker hues with accuracy. It’s a nearly perfect theme for such a fan-loved character.

“All the Strange Strange Creatures” (Series 3, various)

This really is a great piece. Perfect disaster music. Top notch. Love it.

“The Dark and Endless Dalek Night” (Series 4, various)

The Daleks really are great enemies, even though they can be overused a bunch at times. This is a perfectly chilling theme for the Daleks. One that I’m glad has stuck around a bit.

The Sun’s Gone Wibbly (Series 5)

Okay, let’s face it, Series 5 was amazing. You don’t think so? Ah, well I’ll let you off the hook I suppose. This track is really quite good. The Eleventh Hour also just so happens to be what I consider the best introduction episode for a Doctor. More on “I am the Doctor” a little later.

“The Majestic Tale” (Series 5-7, various)

Ah, Series 6. Really quite amazing. It’s a struggle to compare this to Series 5, as I feel they are both quite fantastic. Series 5 however has the stronger run of episodes, so it wins. I personally loved the Lake Silencio story-arc. The fact that it was convoluted and over-complicated only made it better. Besides, how can you have a list like this and not have “The Majestic Tale”? It’s wonderful. It’s astounding. It’s Matt Smith’s Doctor in music form. “I am the Doctor” is above this only because it came first; it’s the original (since “The Majestic Tale” is arguably a variation of “I am the Doctor”). More on “I am the Doctor” further on.

Flying Home for Christmas (The Doctor, the Widow, and the Wardrobe)

Okay, I’m also going to get people disagreeing with me for this, but The Doctor, the Widow, and the Wardrobe really wasn’t that bad. Not the best Christmas special, no, but it’s not on my list of worst episodes.

“A Sadman with a Box” (Series 5-7, various)

Another one from the Smith era, your thinking. Well, the Eleventh Doctor really did have some of the best music. “The Sadman with a Box” captures Matt’s darker, more serious side. It does this, and yet it has happy elements as well. Sort of like Smith’s character himself, an adventurous man who’s got a lot of sadness in him, yet still is hopeful in the bad situations. It’s a perfect fairy tale theme. It really brings the essence of Series 5 to you in musical format.

A Good Man, an Incredible Liar (Series 8: Variation of “A Good Man”)

Next we have a variation of the Twelfth Doctor’s theme, “A Good Man”. This track doesn’t top “I am the Doctor”, but it certainly has that Doctor-y feel to it. The part I love the most about this track is you can sort of hear the bravery and tragic heroism in it. I know that sounds cheesy, but really. It’s cool.

“I am the Doctor” (Series 5, various)

This is the one track I can easily call my favorite. As for all the rest, I simply cannot rank them. “I am the Doctor” took many musical fans by storm. It became a thing of legend in a way that the other tracks hadn’t done yet. It was Series 5 where Murray Gold really fully got into his most wonderful moments, even though he was still great before this series. I believe Series 5 made music more important to the show then it ever had been, and a lot of reason for that was behind this track. In fact, this piece is so Doctor-y it would probably charge the TARDIS if it ever broke down without any other means of repair.

You can disagree with me on all this if you’d like, but it’s just my two cents.

What are your favorite tracks from Doctor Who since 2005?

The post My Top 10 Doctor Who Revival Tracks appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Retrospective: BBC Books’ The Witch Hunters

Simon Danes 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.

Now, where was I?

Dear, dear, dear…  Ah, yes. That is it.

This is a review of a novel concerning the First Doctor.

The First Doctor. The first of them all, you understand, hmm? The original! Yes, most certainly! Quite so! A superior brain! A titanic intellect! Yes, yes, indeed! Tee hee!

Ah.  Now.

What shall I say, hmm?

And so on. Actually, this is a novel set in the first season, when Susan still travelled with her grandfather, and Hartnell’s Doctor was brusque, spiky and sharp; he hasn’t yet deteriorated – sorry, I mean, of course, developed (what are you saying, young man, hmm?) – into the giggling, kindly old twerp of his later stories.

The strength of Steve Lyons’ novel is that it is very like the early Hartnell historicals. He captures their tone perfectly.

The weakness of Steve Lyons’ novel is that it is very like the early Hartnell historicals. He captures their tone perfectly.

In other words, if you like the historicals, you’ll like this; and if you don’t… (Oh, do spit it out, young man; what are you trying to say, hmm?)

What I’m trying to say is that in style, it’s pretty similar to such televised adventures as The Crusade and The Reign of Terror. With the greatest respect to their writers, the problem is they’re actually a bit… well… dull. It would be rather unkind of me to say ‘and so’s this book’ because Lyons has obviously put an enormous amount of work into capturing the style and feel of the non-science fiction Hartnells. I just can’t help feeling it would have been better if he’d allowed it to be a development from them, rather than a homage or pastiche.

(There’s precedent for this, of course, from way back in 1965: Doctor Who and the Crusaders remains one of the best of all the Target novels, not just because David Whitaker’s prose is superb, but because he allows himself to do a fairly free rewrite of the TV version, which goes way beyond what the budget would allow on screen. And it’s restructured to make it much tighter and less flabby. A ripping yarn. What the historicals could have been, but generally weren’t.)

Well, on the positive side: the TARDIS crew of The Witch Hunters are instantly recognisable; it takes no effort to imagine the portrayals of William Russell, Carole Ann Ford, and Jacquie Hill in them. (Aren’t you forgetting someone, young man?) Oh, and Hartnell, of course. The plot is about the Salem witch trials; one of the nastiest instances of religious persecution, and a fine setting for a Doctor Who story.

Those who know about what happened probably get their information from Arthur Miller’s masterpiece, The Crucible. (And it’s one of the finest plays in the English language: do read it if you don’t know it; you’re in for a treat. Michael Gove famously banned it from British classrooms because the writer had committed the indecency of being an American.) The first production I saw was the BBC’s one from 1981; Susannah Walcott was played by one Sarah Sutton and the producer was Louis Marx. The Crucible is still regularly performed; there’s also the film version from 1996 (heavily rewritten, not as good as the original, and with some wooden performances from some of the cast). I once triumphed as Danforth in a student production, but that’s another story. (In fact, I wasn’t very good – I shouted too much and the girl playing Mary Warren accidentally kneed me in the b***s during one performance.)

Steve Lyons goes back to the original sources for the book, and it’s very well researched. Miller cheerfully admitted his play was only based on history, especially the transcripts of the trials, which still exist – and are now online, if you’re interested. So John Proctor and Abigail Williams in The Witch Hunters are far more like their historical counterparts than Miller’s versions were. And, in an appendix, Lyons points the way to some excellent books on the subject; on his recommendation, I read A Delusion of Satan by Francis Hill (2002). Fascinating stuff.

If you don’t know about what happened in Salem in 1692 –

Ha ha! And I knew you wouldn’t! Never mind!

As I was saying, if you don’t know what happened, an insular, Puritan community, fairly recently arrived from England, and on the lunatic fringes of Christianity, took it into their heads to commit a series of vicious atrocities.

Innocent people were denounced as witches; epidemics and bad harvests were blamed on them, as was infant mortality, stomach aches, nightmares and the wicked blasphemy of giggling during prayer meetings. Those who were denounced were subjected to sham trials that make the North Korean judicial system look like a model of probity.

Then they were hanged.

It’s hard to know exactly what the motives of the denouncers were: spite and self-righteousness undoubtedly played their part, as did hysteria, wilful stupidity, peer pressure, moral blindness, and a large dose of sublimated sexuality. A lot of the hysteria came from a group of teenage girls, who set themselves up as (and probably convinced themselves that they were) the victims of the witches. (In the novel, Susan gets involved with this bunch.)

And yet… I wonder how much people who don’t know The Crucible would enjoy the book. Do you need to know the play, or something of the history, to appreciate the story? I don’t know. The other problem is that tackling the subject matter that’s inspired a masterpiece is inevitably going to invite comparisons with it, and any other version just cannot win. (If Doctor Who met King Lear, it couldn’t really work.)

Still. The Witch Hunters is a good story – well written and a page-turner. Perhaps not as good as some of the others I’ve recommended (such as Grave Matter, Casualties of War, or The Banquo Legacy), or as good as some of Steve Lyons’ other work – but if you like the Hartnells, and especially if you like the historicals, this is strongly recommended.

Yes, yes, indeed!

The post Retrospective: BBC Books’ The Witch Hunters appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Exclusive Interview: John Ainsworth, Editor of Doctor Who: The Complete History

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.

Doctor Who: The Complete History, an encyclopedic collection of books released fortnightly from Hatchette, launches in less than a week across the UK – and what better way to celebrate its impending release than a chat with John Ainsworth, editor of the series?

The first issue, priced just £1.99, focuses on four Tenth Doctor stories – Gridlock, Daleks in Manhattan/Evolution of the Daleks, The Lazarus Experiment, and 42 – before subsequent issues cover all twelve Doctors in glorious hardback editions: these build up to an in-depth (and dare we say, definitive) 80-issue set with great spine art to display proudly on your shelf.

John gives us a taster of what to expect…

Kasterborous: Where did the idea first come from?

John: Panini UK’s Managing Director, Mike Riddell and Managing Editor, Alan O’Keefe originated the original idea for what has become Doctor Who – The Complete History. A licence was negotiated with the BBC to publish a Doctor Who partwork that would draw on the large archive of material previously published in Doctor Who Magazine and Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition.

The concept was handed over to the editorial team of Doctor Who Magazine, of which I was a part, and we came up with the idea of basing the partwork on Andrew Pixley’s Doctor Who Archive features, but revising them and updating them where appropriate, as well as including additional new material.

K: This seems like such an obvious (but brilliant) idea – in fact, it’s my ideal partwork. But why do you think something like this hasn’t been done before?

J: It’s quite a mammoth undertaking. Certainly there had been a steady demand to collect together and republish Andrew Pixley’s Archives in a consistent format. However, as is clear from the number of volumes that we will be publishing, this was never going to fit into one single book.

I think the partworks format is the ideal way to publish this material and make it accessible to a whole new audience as well as appealing to the more seasoned fans who will be familiar with the material from its original publication.

K: There are sections on Publicity, Merchandise, Profiles… How did you decide the contents?

J: For both the Merchandise and Publicity sections, we have tried to keep the focus on the individual story being featured. So, for example, for Robot (1974), we list any merchandise specific to that story such as the DVD and VHS releases, plus any merchandise that features the robot, such as jigsaws and action figures.

Similarly for publicity, we look at how and where each individual story was promoted – for some it’s only a mention in Radio Times, for others there are trails, interviews on chat shows, and press screenings.

K: Have you uncovered any previously-unseen images, and have you learnt any new information yourself?

J: All of the Archives are being revised and updated with new and corrected information to lesser and greater degrees. For some, this means almost a complete re-write; for others, just some minor tweaking – but certainly the intention is to include anything new that has come to light since the original publication.

For the photography, we will certainly be publishing some rarely seen material and possibly some pictures that have never been seen before.

K: Have you faced any challenges when tackling missing episodes? Lack of photos, for instance? Many episodes from The Daleks’ Master Plan, for example, have little visual records… although I’m sure you could use some images from our comic adaptation.

J: Some of the stories are indeed poorly represented by photographs, but for many we do have the actual episodes from which we are now able to take good quality ‘grabs’, and there are also the ‘telesnaps’ taken by John Cura. Some of the stories from the 1965/66 series are going to be our toughest challenge in terms of illustrating them, as there is very little imagery, but we have made allowances for these.

K: Do you think extensions are possible?

 

J: An extension of the partworks is certainly possible. If there is sufficient demand I can’t see why it wouldn’t continue as long as there are stories available to cover.

K: What would you say to anyone skeptical about partworks?

J: Well, that depends in what way they are skeptical. I would remind anyone worried that this is just a lot of reprinted material that they already have in back issues of Doctor Who Magazine, that these are revised and updated. They are also accompanied by brand new material in the form of story introductions, specially researched profiles of the main cast and crew, introductions to each story and series, plus some fantastic illustrations and covers.

The whole series will build to make up an amazingly detailed and consistent history of the making of the series that is also a visual treat.

Thank you very much, John!

Doctor Who: The Complete History launches on 9th September, with further hardback books released every fortnight. Find out more, including how to subscribe, by heading over to their official site.

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Karen Gillan Joins Emma Watson in The Circle

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.

Former Doctor Who companion, Karen Gillan will be joining stars including Harry Potter‘s Emma Watson and Tom Hanks (Captain Phillips) in sci-fi thriller, The Cirle!

An adaptation of Dave Eggers’ 2013 novel, The Cirle is an examination of Internet security and privacy, as Watson’s character, Mae Holland, goes to work for the titular Circle, a company that links users’ emails, social media, and banking into one online, accountable identity – and used for surveillance. This information is then monetised. It’s an eerie look into how much personal data we volunteer on the Internet.

Despite being seen as science fiction, the potential to abuse this privacy is a very real one: we already know Facebook alone collects masses about you – whether you’re on the social network or not! Just imagine what could be done if this data is combined with online banking, or your shopping history…

However, Eggers has said the idea isn’t based on any one company. The parallels are nonetheless creepy, and the author said:

“A lot of times I’d think of something that a company like the Circle might dream up, something a little creepy, and then I’d read about the exact invention, or even something more extreme, the next day. It happened with the names of some of the software and system features, too. I had to change a few names when I realized they already existed. But in general, I tried to write a book that wasn’t so much about the technology itself, but more about its implications for our sense of humanity and balance.”

Karen’s character is described as a “goofy but intelligent” employee of The Circle.

On Twitter, she said she was “very excited about joining this amazing team”.

Also starring John Boyega (Star Wars: The Force Awakens), and directed by James Ponsoldt (The End of the Tour), The Circle is expected to be released next year.

The post Karen Gillan Joins Emma Watson in The Circle appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Jenna Coleman Remembers Some Favourite Moments

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.

With news that River Song will be returning at Christmas, many have questioned Jenna Coleman’s involvement in the festivities. So it’s the perfect time for Jenna to look back on her time as Clara Oswald so far…

In the Fan Show interview, she evaluates Clara’s “unlikely” relationship with the Doctor, how she feels when she sees cosplayers – “I love the effort people go to; I have to say, it’s really flattering for a start” – while perhaps inadvertently name-dropping a former much-loved companion, and the ongoing fascination with all time and space.

When asked what her favourite moment has been so far, she recalls the events of The Snowmen (2012):

“I think the World Tour was obviously a huge moment for the show; the 50th [anniversary] – Tom Baker coming on set [was a] big moment; for me, a big defining moment is always the TARDIS on the clouds and the spiral staircase. That image, to me, is striking, quite strong, and close to my heart.”

This is all followed by a humourous tape direct from UNIT HQ, and then some awesome cosplay! (And I’m not just talking about host, Christel Dee as Ace!)

What are you waiting for? Click play!

The post Jenna Coleman Remembers Some Favourite Moments appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Doctor Who Christmas Specials Giftset is Coming At Last!

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.

It’s like Christmas has come early this week, with news of River Song returning in the Doctor Who Christmas special and the anticipated release of a new DVD boxset!

Christmas is a time of traditions and Christmas 2012 saw the beginnings of a new tradition for myself.

Having just finished power slamming through Series 5 and 6 on Netflix for the very first time, I watched the first half of Series 7 in anticipation of each episode. With the season split in two, the Christmas special, The Snowmen, was a welcomed oasis. What I didn’t know was that the Christmas episodes had become a big deal for Doctor Who since the revival. That changed quickly as I went back and watched the rest of Ninth and Tenth Doctor series’ and specials and realized how epic the Christmas episodes were and they quickly became my favourites, along with the other Smith and Capaldi specials that would come later. While there have been box sets of the different series, there has yet to be a collection of just Christmas specials. This is about to change.

According to listings from Amazon, courtesy of TVShowsOnDVD, the BBC is set to release Doctor Who – Christmas Specials Giftset this November, and according to the item description, this will be the set to own:

“For the first time on one complete set, own every Christmas special from the new generation of Doctor Who. David Tennant, Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi all take starring turns in eleven exhilarating Christmas specials that set the Doctor rushing to save the world from an array of dastardly foes including the Master, the Cybermen and even Santa Clause himself.”

While there is no official confirmation from the BBC yet on this release and no official episode listing, the set should contain all eleven episodes from The Christmas Invasion to Last Christmas. With the listing already live, it should be long before we get an official notice from the Beebs.

So, what do you think, dear readers? Is this a release that your interested in? Or would you rather skip most of the Christmas specials to get back to the main series? Let us know!

(With thanks to Joe)

The post Doctor Who Christmas Specials Giftset is Coming At Last! appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Want to see Karen Gillan in Outlander Season 2?

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.

Casting is underway for Brianna Fraser, a major role in the British-American TV adaptation of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander books – and if Whovians get their way, Karen Gillan will play the character!

When the programme’s showrunners announced that they were looking for someone to play the daughter of Claire Randall (Caitriona Balfe), and Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan), people took to Twitter to suggest Karen, who played Amy Pond in Doctor Who between 2010 and 2012 – and briefly in 2013. The casting agents are searching for someone “earthly, grounded and not girly,” over 5’8″ (Gillan is 5’10”), with long red hair and fair skin.

Sounds like Karen to a tee!

Anyone who’s been watching the first series of Outlander will know that, in the finale, Randall revealed she was pregnant; this second series, then, jumps forwards in time to when Brianna is in her early 30s (a bit old for Karen, but still). The show is already a tad timey-wimey. The second run of stories takes us to the Jacobite risings, based on Gabaldon’s second novel in the series, Dragonfly in Amber, first released in 1992.

Others have pointed out that Karen isn’t American, but seen as she’s living there at the moment – and she has a history with putting on an accent – I’m sure she could get away with it.

Even Scotland Now are nominating her for the role (though I’m not sure that’s quite how it works…).

Nothing is certain, of course. But we like the idea of Karen in… well, anything really. What do you think…?

The post Want to see Karen Gillan in Outlander Season 2? appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Have a Merry River Song Christmas, Sweeties!

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.

Yes, you guessed it. River Song is back for Doctor Who‘s 2015 Christmas special. Rejoice/rip up a phonebook in anger (delete as appropriate)!

At long last (after over two series) Alex Kingston is returning to Doctor Who, giving fans to finally see the actress opposite Peter Capali’s Doctor. Shooting on the 11th Doctor Who Christmas special commences this week, with Moffat observing at the weekend that “That box is bigger on the inside. Hopefully everyone will look forward to all of it – the monsters, the adventures an awful lot of running and explosions.”

But this announcement changes things slightly. Steven Moffat is now a little chattier, thanks to the BBC publicity machine:“What could be more special than the return of Alex Kingston as Professor River Song? The last time the Doctor saw her she was a ghost. The first time he met her, she died. So how can he be seeing her again? As ever, with the most complicated relationship in the universe, it’s a matter of time…”

Is Capaldi’s Doctor the one who hands River the sonic screwdriver she had in Silence in the Library? (“You turned up on my doorstep, with a new haircut and a suit.”) Kingston isn’t telling…

“To be honest, I did not know whether River would ever return to the show, but here she is, back with the Doctor for the Christmas special. Steven Moffat is on glittering form, giving us an episode filled with humour and surprise guest castings. I met Peter for the first time at Monday’s read through, we had a laugh, and I am now excited and ready to start filming with him and the Doctor Who team. Christmas in September? Why not!”

The Doctor Who Christmas special will probably air on Christmas Day. It’s too early to say.

 

 

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