Christian Cawley's Blog, page 7

Out Now: The War Doctor – Infernal Devices

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.

Great men are forged in fire. It is the privilege of lesser men to light the flame… except when that “lesser man” is John Hurt. That lesser man is, in fact, great, and you can experience such greatness with Big Finish’s latest War Doctor boxset, Infernal Devices.

You can get your mitts on three new adventures for this lost incarnation of the Time Lord, written by John Dorney, Phil Mulryne, and Matt Fitton. Here’s what the Doctor has to face:

2.1 Legion of the Lost

In a time of war, every means of victory must be explored. In the Time War, the unthinkable must be thought, and neither side can afford to be squeamish about their methods.

When the destruction of an obscene weapon leads to the Time Lord once known as the Doctor uncovering a secret Gallifreyan initiative, he cannot believe what is being considered.

Should victory be sought at any cost? Or are there worse possibilities than losing to the Daleks..?

2.2 A Thing of Guile

The Daleks are developing a secret weapon on Asteroid Theta 12. It is imperative that their plans are uncovered.

Cardinal Ollistra has her hands full studying the range of ancient and mysterious armaments the universe has to offer, but she makes it a personal mission to investigate the Dalek project.

On this dangerous assignment, there is one particular Time Lord she wants at her side – and he will be accompanying her whether he wants to or not.

2.3 The Neverwhen

On an isolated world ravaged by battle, time itself has become a weapon, laying waste to all who live and die there. Arms and technology are in a state of flux – and it seems that everlasting war is their only option.

The arrival of one battered Type 40 TARDIS inside this nightmare offers hope to the combatants trapped within.

But when he discovers the truth, the horrors of the Neverwhen will shock even the War Doctor…

This set follows December’s Only The Monstrous, and once again takes us into the Time War. John Hurt is joined by Jacqueline Pearce (Cardinal Ollistra), David Warner (Shadovar), Jamie Newall (Co-ordinator Jarad), Zoë Tapper (Collis), Robert Hands (Captain Solex), Oliver Dimsdale (Commander Trelon), Laura Harding (Navigator Valis), Barnaby Kay (Commander Thrakken), Jaye Griffiths (Daylin), Tim Bentinck(General Kallix), Tracy Wiles (Commander Barnac), and Nicholas Briggs as – you guessed it – the Daleks.

Infernal Devices is out now, exclusively from Big Finish for just £20!

The post Out Now: The War Doctor – Infernal Devices appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Doctor Who to Stream on CraveTV in Canada

Simon Mills 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 end… but the moment has been prepared for!

Fear not, brave citizens of Canada, for when Netflix ceases to offer Doctor Who you will be saved by CraveTV who will take up the mantle of satisfying your Time Lord cravings!

Matt Forde, EVP Content Production, Sales and Distribution, BBC Worldwide North America, says:

“Bell Media and Space have done a phenomenal job with one of the BBC’s crown jewels, Doctor Who. They have nurtured it, and built it, and are now going to make it accessible to everyone on multiple platforms – exclusively. This longstanding partnership exemplifies dedication in giving the fans what they want, when they want it, and hopefully attracting loads more along the way.”

Doctor Who News have reported on this and accompanied the news with lots of demographics and statistics and probably other stuff ending with “…ics”, most noteworthy of which is that the last Christmas special, The Husbands of River Song, was the most watched show on Christmas Day in Canada! Nice.

Series 9 will become available in the summer with Series 1-8 following suit later in the year after the agreement with Netflix expires. Series 10 onwards will be shown on SPACE first and will then move to CraveTV for streaming after the series has finished its run.

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Patrick Troughton’s Grandson Wants To Be The Next 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.

Harry Melling, best known as Harry Potter’s spoiled brat cousin Dudley Dursley, has revealed that he’d love to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps and become the next Doctor.

Melling, the son of Patrick Troughton’s daughter Joanna, appeared in five Harry Potter films as the appalling bully Dudley who liked nothing more than to make his cousin’s life a misery and continues to pursue an acting career, his latest credit coming in stage comedy Hand to God at London’s Vaudeville Theatre.

“I would love to be the next new Doctor. I am not the person in charge of that but I would love to keep it in the family. It probably won’t happen as I might need to be a bit older. I’ve really enjoyed doing theatre but getting Doctor Who in the family again would be great.”

Melling is a cousin of Sam Troughton who was rumoured to be in the running to be the next Doctor when Matt Smith gave up the role, and it may be that his relative is the more likely pick from the Troughton family whenever the part comes up again, though it’s noticeable that Melling has inherited those familiar piercing blue eyes…

The post Patrick Troughton’s Grandson Wants To Be The Next Doctor appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Out Now: Doctor Who – Aquitaine

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 209th Doctor Who Main Range title from Big Finish, Aquitaine is out right now.

Peter Davison, Sarah Sutton, and Janet Fielding return as the Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, and Tegan respectively in this four-part adventure, directed by Ken Bentley. They come up against ghosts, a black hole, and a friendly robotic butler:

Today should be much like every other day for Hargreaves, the computer consciousness that co-ordinates daily life aboard the spaceship Aquitaine, stationed on the outer fringes of a black hole. Water the plants, run the diagnostics, cook the Captain’s breakfast; then tidy the plates away, rotate the ship, clean the windows of the observation deck. When at last the day’s work is done, Hargreaves will dim the lights in the sleeping quarters. But no-one will sleep aboard the Aquitaine tonight. Because the Aquitaine’s crew is missing.

But today will be different. Today, a space/time ship called the TARDIS will materialise in the botanical section, bringing the Doctor, Nyssa and Tegan aboard the Aquitaine. Together, they’ll seek to discover the truth of what happened to Hargreaves’ crew…

… if only the ghosts will let them.

The tale takes place during Season 19, Davison’s first in the lead role, while this TARDIS team comes back for next month’s The Peterloo Massacre.

Written by Paul Morris and Simon Barnard, Aquitaine stars Matthew Cottle (Hargreaves), Harry Myers (Dr Sergei Akunin), Nina Sosanya (Captain Anna Maynard), Gerald Kyd (Lt Maurizio Savinio), and Danusia Samal (Lt Freya Jennings).

Aquitaine is out now: if you want a download copy, it’ll cost just £12.99, while a physical copy is £14.99 – including a downloadable version in your account.

The post Out Now: Doctor Who – Aquitaine appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Guests Announced for Time Eddy II

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.

Last October, I had the opportunity to attend a wonderful Who convention in Wichita, Kansas that was just getting its sea legs in the convention world, or so it would have seemed, since it was in its first year. However, Time Eddy I destroyed nearly all first-year convention stereotypes. If you want to know a little more about Time Eddy I, check out our full review of the convention. There’s even a handy video included.

So, now that you have the general background… I have something even cooler to talk about. Time Eddy II! That’s right folks. Time Eddy II is on its way, coming back around to Wichita October 14-16! Several guests have already been announced. Top guest this year around is none other than Peter Davison, aka the Fifth Doctor! (Insert an Eleventh Doctor impression here… “I know!”)

As you may already know, Davison played the Time Lord from 1981-1984. He was the youngest actor to take on the role until Matt Smith came around. His Doctor was known for his charisma, his love of cricket, and – of course – his celery. On a different note, Peter Davison basically built the boat that Matt Smith later found himself in. Taking over from the most popular Doctor of the time (and arguably the most popular Doctor today), Tom Baker, Peter Davison went into the role with considerable shoes to fill. Many people thought he was too young for the role. In addition, some also believed that nobody, no matter how young or old, could ever possibly take over from Tom Baker. If all this sounds oddly familiar, it’s because Matt Smith found himself in the same exact situation back in 2009. Smith was somewhat rejected by a good portion of the fan-base simply because of his age. Just like with Davison, not many people believed Smith could pull it off. In the end, though, both Davison and Smith have joined the hall of fame as two of the most beloved Doctors in the show’s history.

While you won’t be seeing the Eleventh Doctor or grown up Amy Pond (except for cosplayers) at Time Eddy II, you WILL be seeing a certain red-head girl. Caitlin Blackwood (Young Amy Pond), real-life cousin to Karen Gillan (Amy Pond), will be catching a ride on the Fifth Doctor’s TARDIS trip to Wichita this October!

Okay, stop hyperventilating. I know I’ve just told you that your favorite Doctor and companion are coming to Kansas… But air is good… For life, and stuff… Not to mention there’s like seven more guests on this list. I promise I’ll hurry…

Joining the Fifth Doctor is none other than Mark Strickson (Turlough), set to return to Kansas almost 30 years after his last convention appearance in the state. He battled Daleks, Cybermen and the Master, and since worked extensively as a TV producer both in the UK and in the Antipodes.

Also popping his head out of the TARDIS will be Dominic Glynn, composer for the Sixth Doctor era. Glynn is also known for his work on The Simpsons. He will even be performing at the Time Eddy II Musical Extravaganza! (“I know!”)

Terrance Dicks, the prolific writer and Script Editor, is Time Eddy’s Guest of Honor (so bring some Target novelisations along!), and he’ll be joined by author, John Peel (Timewyrm: Genesys). Currently, John is working on a new book about the Brigadier which will be available for purchase at Time Eddy.

“Blimey, that’s a lot of guests for only a second year convention,” you might be thinking. True, but we’re not finished yet.

Bob Baker, creator of everyone’s favorite robotic dog, K9, will also be at Time Eddy II. While Bob Baker did a lot of writing with his partner-in-crime Dave Martin during the Third and Fourth Doctor’s eras, Baker’s most noteworthy achievement is his receiving a BAFTA for his work on Wallace and Gromit.

Nabil Shaban will also be making his way to Wichita, Kansas. Martin perhaps best known for playing the “sadistic, morally corrupt, slug-like” Sil. Sil first appeared in the Colin Baker story, Vengeance on Varos, and reappeared in Trial of a Time Lord: Mindwarp.

And finally, last but not at all least… Anneke Wills, who played Polly (companion to the First and Second Doctors), will also appear at Time Eddy II.

Wow! That was a long list.

Make sure to check out Time Eddy II on Facebook because that’s not all: an announcement of TWO more guests is coming soon – and they’re very exciting!

Visit the official Time Eddy II page for more information on Wichita’s newest Doctor Who convention!

The post Guests Announced for Time Eddy II appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Doctor Who Series 1 Named Most Purchased Drama

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.

Cast your minds back, if you will, to 2005. The days where Christopher Eccleston was the Doctor, and in the ideal world was the start of his lengthy tenure as the leather-jacket-wearing Time Lord. Alas, this did not come to pass, and by the end of 2005, and after only one series, the Doctor had already regenerated into bright-eyed David Tennant, who would become one of the most popular Doctors in the show’s long history.

A lot of people, myself included, are quite attached to Series 1. As time goes on it seems to attract less and less attention from the general public as the popularity of the Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelfth Doctors rises. Sure, Series 1 has the odd burping bin and farting aliens, but it also has one of the most well constructed story arcs and one of the most different Doctors.

Well good news for fans of Series 1, as it’s been named most purchased drama series in the history of the BBC Worldwide Showcase.

What is the Showcase you ask? Essentially it’s a sales event the BBC has been hosting for the past 40 years to sell its shows across the world. Series 1 has attracted 629 buyers from countries including Bahrain, Hong Kong, France and Chile.

President of Global Markets, Paul Dempsey said:

“We are extremely proud of our heritage and back catalogue so it’s fun to look back into the archives and celebrate the enduring appeal of some of our classic shows.

But, at the same time, it’s clear that the priority for today’s audiences is event TV with high-production values so it’s no coincidence that our current best sellers are premium dramas like Doctor Who and Sherlock, high-end entertainment shows like Strictly Come Dancing and Top Gear, and our world-renowned natural history programmes like The Hunt.”

Keeping Up Appearances, which some of you may remember features Revelation of the Daleks and Voyage of the Damned actor Clive Swift, is the most bought comedy programme and has been bought 992 times. The most bought natural history title is The Life of Mammals with 958 sales and the most bought factual entertainment series is Top Gear Series 9, broadcast in 2006, which has clocked up 282 sales.

So overall, it’s nice to see that now 11 year old season get some love!

The post appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Doctor Who to be Available Through Amazon Video?

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 fans rejoice: Series 1 to 8 are coming to Amazon Prime Video in America!

Whovians in the USA panicked earlier this month when the show disappeared off Netflix, but thanks to a now-deleted tweet, we can gather that the first eight series of NuWho will be on fellow streaming service, Amazon Prime.

This is definitely good news, as it’s one of the only ways (aside from turning to the DVDs) of seeing Doctor Who this year, as only one new episode will air – and that at Christmas, so officially ages away!

If the TV show is indeed part of Amazon’s March line-up, the tweet might’ve disappeared because no official announcement has been made from any streaming companies or the BBC.

Doctor Who will also be vanishing from Netflix in the UK come May unless a deal is reached. A BBC Representative told the Radio Times:

“We will announce all details in due course.”

… Which admittedly isn’t a great insight.

We’ll have to await an official confirmation about this possible deal with Amazon Prime Video, but things are looking up!

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Gareth David-Lloyd Still Visits Ianto Jones’ Torchwood Shrine in Cardiff

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.

Torchwood hasn’t been on our screens since 2011. We’ve not seen Ianto Jones since 2009. But his fans are still holding out hope for his – and the show’s – return.

Pop over to Cardiff Bay, head towards the Torchwood Hub at Roald Dahl Plass (wasn’t that place blown up?!) , and you’ll see a shrine to Ianto Jones and the alien-investigating agency in general. But just sometimes, you might see a familiar face, staring at the tributes to the long-since-deceased character. Because actor, Gareth David-Lloyd says he still visits the shrine now and then:

“It’s quite strange – if there are ever any fans there at the same time as I’m there, they’re so invested in the fact that Ianto has gone and that this is a tribute, they don’t even notice I’m there! I’m much more likely to get noticed in Asda than I am at the shrine – and then there’s some people who have no idea what the show is about – they think it’s a real memorial.”

It’s true! Anyone who sees the shrine could quite well believe it’s a much-missed Welsh citizen: a real one.

I guess that’s the power of television and of storytelling in general. Doctor Who and Torchwood have some exceptionally-dedicated individuals who fully immerse themselves in the narratives. And as you’re here, visiting Kasterborous, you’re one of them.

David-Lloyd continues:

“I pay the odd visit – I’m very flattered and moved that people have gone to those lengths to show their appreciation for a character that I’ve played.”

If you miss Torchwood, of course, you could always turn to Big Finish, who are giving us monthly trips with the team. Some have even argued that this audio version is the quintessential Torchwood…

The post Gareth David-Lloyd Still Visits Ianto Jones’ Torchwood Shrine in Cardiff appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Reviewed: Doctor Who – The Complete History Issue 6

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.

Ah, cliffhangers. Doctor Who loves them. When looking for the best cliffhangers in history, we have to consider “The Monk’s got a TARDIS!”; “I’m not going to let you stop me now!”; and total event collapse, with Amy dead, and the Doctor locked in the Pandorica.

A less well-known cliffhanger is: “Jones had submitted a further Doctor Who story idea to Terrance Dicks in 1970, but it had”…

This comes on page 105 of this sixth issue of The Complete History, concluding the Pre-Production section for The Sontaran Experiment. Okay, so I have my tongue firmly in cheek here, but how bizarre that the sentence is never finished off. It just – stops. Without anything remotely like a full-stop. If the original solicitations are anything to go by, perhaps this issue was rushed out in place of Issue 7, and wasn’t quite up to scratch…

This is one problem in an otherwise good book. I’m sure many Fourth Doctor fans will be picking this up, even if they’re not buying the rest of the series. And that’s a shame because as informative and entertaining as it is, it’s not perfect.

Neither are the stories it covers, although The Ark in Space is arguably close to it. Robot leaves something to be desired, but is at worst, average, while I have a soft spot for The Sontaran Experiment. I do love Sontarans, and Styre is a wonderful example. I’d even say he looks better than Linx.

So why isn’t this issue quite as solid as previous ones? Simply because there seems to be some repetition. It’s as if the writers didn’t check what the others were doing, and these repetitive passages were missed by editorial.

I guess it also depends on how you’re reading the books: this issue suffers slightly if you read it all as one; however, if you’re reading them bit-by-bit, perhaps accompanying rewatches of past serials, going over the same ground occasionally is a nice reminder. Indeed, reading through inspired a rewatch of The Sontaran Experiment, and yes, I still love it.

Most know that Tom Baker damaged his collarbone during the serial, but I hadn’t realised the extent to which he was replaced by stuntmen, as was Styre for the fight scene. The behind-the-scenes of Doctor Who Season 12 are well documented, but there’s still plenty to learn from The Complete History, including:

Harry Sullivan was introduced as an Ian Chesterton-esque ‘action man’ as an older Doctor was considered before Baker’s casting.
Elisabeth Sladen found out who her new leading star would be during filming for The Monster of Peladon.
The explosive conclusion to The Ark in Space was partly down to director, Rodney Bennett; the initial scripts by Holmes had the Wirrn led away into space by Noah, but Bennett felt, as they wouldn’t be a returning foe, that a more permanent end was needed.
Robert Holmes undertook rewrites of John Lucarotti’s original Space Station scripts within 18 days.
Kevin Lindsay (Styre and in The Time Warrior, Linx, but whose face you’ll know for playing Cho-je in Planet of the Spiders) died only seven weeks after the broadcast of The Sontaran Experiment, aged just 51.

This really is a fascinating read, as ever, and special mention must go to The Ark in Space. And rightly so. The four-part serial is greatly-loved, and has to be in many fans’ Top Ten lists (myself included). While, the Production section is a little dry in comparison to those serials bookending it, the Pre- and Post-Production parts uncover a lot of trivia, and in the Publicity section, we get Frank Bellamy’s iconic art for the Radio Times.

Fans will also delight in seeing the art from the Weetabix figures and cards in all three Merchandise parts. And on the subject of art, the photos throughout this issue are genuinely stunning and show the variety of visuals presented in Season 12.

Compare the hard sci-fi, sharp lines, and clean design of The Ark in Space to the grassy desolation of The Sontaran Experiment, for instance. We get some further context with the 1974/5 Series Overview where you can see the gritty environs of Genesis of the Daleks and the ironically-sterile look of Revenge of the Cybermen.

In particular, I was impressed with the design of the K1 Robot. I’ve seen it a couple of times “in the flesh” at exhibitions and it’s a wonderful look (even if it was a bit hard-going on actor, Michael Kilgarriff). However, I’d never realised that the spherical head piece was echoed in the Scientific Reform Society (SRS) logo, itself influenced by the swastika.

The art introducing each story are particularly gorgeous too, reflecting the style of the serials perfectly. The Sontaran Experiment really stands out.

Profiles this time are for Tom Baker, Ian Marter, and Kevin Lindsay. Tom’s is especially in-depth, with six pages dedicated to his life and career. It’s a startlingly honest and touching piece, with Tom reflecting on how proprietorial he became, but also concluding with how much the Doctor means to him.

The show also seemed close to the heart of Marter, who played one of my favourite companions, Harry. This was obvious by the fact that he wrote numerous Target novelisations after he left Doctor Who itself. The Ark in Space was his first novelisation, so it’s fitting his Profile is attached to this tale.

If there are small troubles in this issue’s copy, it’s more than worth picking up for the wealth of information, and its wonderful layouts, including a good number of behind-the-scenes photos.

NEXT: THE CHRISTMAS INVASION, NEW EARTH, AND TOOTH AND CLAW.

Want to subscribe? Head over to  the Doctor Who: The Complete History site  – and don’t forget about  the premium subscription offer too!

The post Reviewed: Doctor Who – The Complete History Issue 6 appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Tea for TARDIS?

Simon Mills 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 Glasgow, we have an enterprising lady who has turned the city’s iconic Police box into a zero-waste micro-cafe…

Laura Camerron, with the help of her dad, has transformed a TARDIS-esque Police box into the “Brew Box Coffee” on Argyle Street. Here you will be able to enjoy a daily selection of snacks with tea and coffee. I applaud this enterprise for its green credential – everything is made fresh, only enough for the day and wastage is non-existent with everything left over being biodegradable.

But the firm stand out – because they are striving to be a zero-waste business. Absolutely everything is hand packaged in biodegradable packaging, down to the fresh coffee pods which Laura then takes to her South Side allotment for composting.

I only wish this were closer to where I lived. I’d love to visit and experience the, errr, experience of street food served from a TARDIS! Laura told the Glasgow Evening Times:

“My hash tag is #weeplacebigtaste. I want to emphasise that I may be a wee place but I am not here for a wee while. I mean business when it comes to good local, handmade food and great tasting coffee and I’m going to do my damnedest to make sure Glasgow gets the best of me and the service they deserve.”

If you are of the Scottish persuasion or even just visiting – please go and say “Hello” and let us know what you think!

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