Christian Cawley's Blog, page 74

Is Doctor Who Series 9 Revisiting The Impossible Astronaut?

Richard Forbes 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.

Shooting for Series 9 has returned to a familiar stomping ground for Doctor Who and the curious revisit has some wondering if perhaps there might be more significance in the shooting location than what meets the eye-?

The location in question is Eddie’s Diner, located in Cardiff Bay. A 50’s ‘American’ style complete with red leather seats and a jukebox atmosphere, Eddie’s Diner has become quite the hotspot for travelling Whovians since its last appearance in Series 6’s The Impossible Astronaut (lets hope they remembered their special straws).

Pictures of the diner show a film crew with what appears to be a Nevadan backdrop to the right –

Eddie's Diner. Backdrop being used to the right. #dwsr pic.twitter.com/JGfYt1KB5P

— Adam Orford (@AdamOrford1) August 17, 2015

The question is, however, is Eddie’s Diner filling in for the same dinner from The Impossible Astronaut or a new diner for the show? There’s been some speculation recently that the series finale might revisit old faces like the Eighth and Tenth Doctors and hints that the series may address some loose ends with regards to Capaldi’s appearance in The Fires of Pompeii and The Day of the Doctor, as well as the similarity between Missy’s Promised Lands and the gardens from Series 6’s The Girl Who Waited – with all of these past events being addressed, we’re left asking once again : just what is it about Series 9 that sees the show looking back on past episodes?

Also seen during the filming was Jenna Coleman sporting a blue Waitress’ dress.

Clara is a waitress! #DWSR pic.twitter.com/EGAe0gJyeZ

— Special Agent 006 (@MingMong006) August 17, 2015

It remains unclear, however, why Clara would be working as a waitress (besides shameless fan service that is).

Assuming she simply isn’t working a new job, I wonder what could compel her to pretend to be a waitress at a diner. The discreetness here makes me wonder if Clara and the Doctor may be playing a dangerous game with time once more, treading close to opening a paradox and ‘tearing a hole in the fabric of reality’ as a certain Gallifreyan might say – playing with time and altering important events is a common theme with Steven Moffat’s finales. In fact Eddie’s Diner was already the site of some loopy time events if the Doctor’s invitation to his own death in The Impossible Astronaut was any indication…

The post Is Doctor Who Series 9 Revisiting The Impossible Astronaut? appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

More Unique Twists to Doctor Who Series 9 Revealed!

Connor Farley 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.

New details have been revealed about Series 9 of Doctor Who after a midnight release of information that was embargoed by Blogtor Who. And it is fair to say what has been revealed to us gives the upcoming series a fresh and unique feel, which is sure to get Whovians more excited for the twelve episode run than before.

Despite the release of the information being pushed back 24 hours from midnight Tuesday, which also included an interview with Ingrid Oliver and Peter Capaldi on the set of the Episodes 7 and 8. The information that was revealed was definitely worth the wait after it hit the internet at midnight today.

First up in the interview, we learnt that the Zygon two-parter, which is written by Peter Harness is to be called Invasion of the Zygons and Inversion of the Zygons, two very Classic Who sounding titles. We also learnt that the two-parter takes place in Mexico, as well as London and that it serves and was pitched as a sequel to the fiftieth anniversary special, The Day of the Doctor.

In the interview, we also learnt that as well as some single parters and two-parters, there will also be some three part episodes in Series 9, with Capaldi saying “Some of them are three-parters. And there’s one parters. It’s a good development, it allows the writers a bit more time with their characters and story.”

When also asked about the possibility of the returning Osgood, who was killed by Missy in last year’s finale becoming a companion, Capaldi simply replied “She could well be…”.

And the information doesn’t stop there, oh-no. A whole lot more was revealed to us about every episode in this series that we did not previously know, mostly notably what is to come in the last four episodes of the series.

Probably the most exciting bit of information to learn was that Episode 11 is all about Peter Capaldi as the Doctor. Described in the industry as a ‘one hander’, the penultimate episode of the series will have no Clara Oswald or guest cast. The episode will revolve only around Capaldi for the whole 45 minutes. This is a first for Doctor Who.

We also learnt that Episode 9 will feature a Doctor Who first. A quote from The Daily Star said “A special story will feature only old phone and camcorder footage showing the Time Lord’s followers filming their attempts to fight a monster.” The episode was said to be a special one by guest star Reece Shearsmith, who’s role in the episode is yet to be announced.

Episode 10 is also set to feature a story about the ‘invasion of invisible streets’. Moffat expressed great delight at this concept in the latest SFX Magazine, and said that he thinks that the episode will be one that people will want to rewatch for a while afterwards.

Also according to The Daily Star, the Judoon and the Hath from The Doctor’s Daughter are set to make a brief cameo.

Amongst all the Davros rumours, The Magician’s Apprentice and The Witch’s Familiar is also set to feature ‘a snake made of other snakes’. For a full read of the new interviews, head to Blogtor Who.

The post More Unique Twists to Doctor Who Series 9 Revealed! appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Series 8 Script Analysis: Robot of Sherwood

Richard Forbes 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.

Richard Forbes continues his study of Series 8’s leaked post-production scripts. Past articles from this five part series include:

Series 8 Script Analysis: Deep Breath
Series 8 Script Analysis: Into the Dalek

Robot of Sherwood brings us to the sunny greenery (too green?) of Sherwood Forest; a tale of heroes and the folklore which follows in their wake. It’s been an absolute pleasure to review this script — an opportunity to see the inner workings of Mark Gatiss’ story and learn from his technique and quirks, however inimitable, but also an opportunity to appreciate its joy and light heart.

Robin of Sherwood

Robot of Sherwood is an anomaly in, not only Series 8, but Doctor Who, the show, in that it centres around, not a historical event or a real life figure, but a fictional character from outside Doctor Who. Robin Hood, the historic outlaw, may have been a real life person (as historians still debate) but for Robot of Sherwood, Robin Hood presents itself as a challenge – hundreds of years of retelling the tale of Robin Hood, thousands of recitations, countless performances as the greatest archer of the land has left Robot of Sherwood’s script and its writer, Mark Gatiss with the difficult challenge of unpacking that mythology and capturing a story, a retelling of Robin Hood which is universal, compelling, fun and most importantly, true to the show, Doctor Who.

Ask yourself, what is your connection to Robin Hood? What’s the most memorable performance of Robin Hood? When you think of Robin Hood, who and what do you think of? Perhaps your culture touchstone to this beloved character is… Errol Flynn? We all have different understandings of what the character entails, that is: what Robin Hood should be like, because we’re inundated with different versions, different retellings of this same legendary tale. Younger readers might be familiar with the BBC’s recent Robin Hood series featuring Jonas Armstrong or Russell Crowe’s glum turn as the prince of thieves or Kevin Costner’s take on Robin Hood.

I ask this question because it serves as an important preface to a discussion on Robot of Sherwood: this is a character so mythological that any depiction of him is bound to disappoint someone, such that the writer must simply be satisfied with meeting expectations of most viewers. In many ways, it’s like trying to win over an entire fanbase with a single performance as the Doctor (comparisons between Robin Hood and the Doctor are in no short supply with this script) when we have different expectations for a portrayal of the Doctor. When thinking back on my childhood, my own acquaintance with Robin Hood and its legend is a pretty uncultured one: Disney’s take on Robin Hood (1973), full of adventure, laughs and led, of course, by an anthropomorphic fox with an oddly clear and present sex appeal.

This is how the post-production script for Robot of Sherwood introduced its Robin Hood:

THE DOCTOR

(CONT’D)

No pretty castles. And no such thing as Robin Hood!

Thwakkkk!

FX: The arrow thuds into the TARDIS door, missing THE DOCTOR’s face by an inch.

He whips round. Standing on the other side of the glade, quivering bow in hand is a strapping, handsome, devastatingly sexy young man in beautifully cut Lincoln Green tunic, feathered hat and tights. He smiles a winning smile and winks.

ROBIN

(OS)

You called?

10:02:21 TITLES SEQUENCE INCUT TO:10:02:54

It’d be unfair, grossly unfair even to criticize Tom Riley’s performance as Robin Hood for not staying true to the script. Rather, whatever misgivings you might have for his performance are better directed towards Mark Gatiss himself since Riley executed and perfectly breathed to life the character as written in the post-production script: an impossibly handsome, charming hero with a keen sense of mischief and a thirst for social and poetic justice. It’s a Robin Hood that fits for what it is that Robot of Sherwood strives to be; not a dark or deeply historical take on the folklore but a breezy, fun adventure which captures the contemporary essence of the legend – hitting those fundamental, universal expectations we might have of a Robin Hood tale (e.g., merrymen, shenanigans, laughter, golden arrows, archery) but draped in colour and the quirky science and fantasy of Doctor Who. The spirit of this world, Gatiss captures with only a few lines when he introduces Sherwood Forest below.

THE DOCTOR

(CONT’D)

But you’ll only be disappointed...

DISSOLVE TO:

10:01:49 EXT. SHERWOOD FOREST. GLADE -DAY 1

A babbling stream with a ‘bridge’ across it -in fact little more than a log connecting each bank. On the far side, a beautiful, sylvan glade, bathed in Hollywood sunshine. Everything is a saturated, Technicolour green.

Suddenly, the TARDIS materialises in the shade of a huge oak tree. The deer bolts.

THE DOCTOR

(O.S.)

No damsels in distress.

Take care in noticing in just a few sentences how Gatiss can paint such a pretty iconic and memorable world – it’s an introduction filled with wit for the reader (a ‘bridge’) and a clear, almost Disney vision of Sherwood Forest for the director to produce for viewers at home which Paul Murphy does competently. Gatiss always writes throughout his script with such powerful language: a ‘babbling’ stream, ‘Hollywood’ sunshine – his masterful vocabulary and good judgement allows him to say precisely what he wishes to convey in a few words with precision and poetry. That dangerous double act of artfulness makes for an expert style of prose which would be nigh impossible to achieve with a mere amateur’s imitation.

Take for example the scene below.

10:05:45 EXT. SHERWOOD FOREST. VILLAGE -DAY 1

A scream!

A village green. In stark contrast to Sherwood Forest, this is a filthy, muddy, Gilliam-esque place of crook-backed medieval houses. Skinny dogs and ducks roam everywhere.

From out of a guildhall troop three KNIGHTS, followed by a fat, distressed man, QUAYLE. The KNIGHTS are dressed in the classic chain mail and tabard of the Knights Templar with bucket-like helmets which totally obscure their faces. Between them, they’ve taken prisoner a young woman, QUAYLE’s WARD -and are carrying wooden boxes.

QUAYLE

I beg you! Stop! Stop this! Please! By all that’s holy. Take our monies. Our treasure.But spare my ward!

We begin with naught but a scream (note how this is indicated with a simple ‘scream!’ – no ‘a-aaaaah’ from Gatiss). Again with only a few, wisely chosen words, the author can very expertly paint the scene of a dingy, oppressed village – the word I’m most drawn towards is Gilliam-esque. An actual word (if you were wondering, Pythonesque is also in the Oxford English Dictionary too), Gilliam-esque conjures up the image of filthy, frightfully muddy peasantry in this context; a reference to Terry Gilliam, one of the members of Monty Python, whose penchant for surrealism and a keen artistic vision has been admired for years. Here especially, Gatiss is likely referring to the village life depicted in Monty Python and the Holy Grail whose grubby peasants were the butt of several jokes. There’s also just some wonderfully colourful words there to describe the dilapidation of the props and scenery in the scene like ‘distressed’ and my favourite, ‘crook-backed’. You can pick up a lot from a screenplay like this one; words you may find yourself using in an everyday context, this is … if you don’t mind looking too pretentious!

As this scene continues Gatiss introduces the Sheriff of Nottingham too.

SHERIFF

(O.S.)

Would you now?

QUAYLE whirls round. Seated on a magnificent horse is a magnificent man. Tall, dark and moodily handsome, he’s dressed all in black. This is THE SHERIFF OF NOTTINGHAM.

SHERIFF

(CONT’D)

Or are you as milk-livered as your name suggests, Master Quayle?

With a magnificent parallelism, the description begins. Take note of how an introduction to a new character in a script, the reveal that is, of a pivotal character (a legendary one in this case) can be done as Gatiss has with plain but dramatic exposition: ‘THIS is the ….’ Likewise, keeping with Gatiss’ penchant for a well phrased description, the phrase ‘moodily handsome’ perfectly invokes the instability of his Sheriff of Nottingham, played so convincingly by Ben Miller – Gatiss writes him as a man who would be attractive if not for his moody demeanour which swings from anger to ambition at the drop of a hat. Another word of Gatiss’ that I’m quite fond of is ‘fey’:

Next a slightly fey man with a lute steps forward.

ROBIN

Er, this is Alan-a-Dale. A master of the lute and with the voice of an angel.

He beams and plays a sweet chord on his lute.

Speaking here of the story’s lutenist, the word ‘fey’ could mean a few things: it could be a reference to the fact that the Doctor suspects he will die soon, it might also be a reference to powers of a visionary or more likely that he presents himself in a ‘otherworldly air or attitude’. A word, cleverly chosen, can express what might otherwise take several sentences to convey.

Such words are sprinkled through Gatiss’ work.

Quick cut-away of ROBIN shooting a venomous look at THE DOCTOR.

THE DOCTOR

(CONT’D)

I honestly think me might die of sheer fright. Like a tiny, shivering little mouse.

ROBIN gives a mutinous growl as part of his moaning, an attempt to warn THE DOCTOR.

THE DOCTOR

(CONT’D)

Oh dear, I think he’s soiled himself.

Here a ‘mutinous growl’, a curious Victorian phrase, displays Robin’s growing ‘mutiny’ with the Doctor and his approach for misleading the jailer. As the scene continues their situation does not improve, however…

THE DOCTOR

No, I’ll get them.

They move as one towards the keys -but manage to knock them across the floor.

They try again – both men’s boots banging into the keys – which skitter over the grating of a drain!

The keys are balanced precariously over oblivion –

-and then fall.

There is a distant plop of the keys landing in water.

The two men: aghast.

THE DOCTOR

(CONT’D)

Well there is a bright side.

ROBIN

Which is?

THE DOCTOR

Clara didn’t see that.

It’s worth mentioning the precarity that the author captures (‘over oblivion’). He spaces out the action with an expert’s approach; here developments as they arrive are shown as a kind of slug, one line after an another – each space allows for the script to be read at the pace for which the scene would develop at – to be read as it would be seen. Gatiss is not just a visual writer and a wordsmith, however. He seems to especially be focused on the sounds of a scene, as shown in other excerpts above, where he’s indicated screams and various sounds, so much so, even that part of the experience of reading Robot of Sherwood is its foley and its onomatopoeia. With some imagination we can hear the sound of the key grating against the drain before splashing in the waters below. A brief note of exposition, ‘the two men:’ then shifts the focus, demanding a close-up in fewer words, to show their horror.

What Mark Gatiss accomplishes with this surprisingly rewarding screenplay to read is to write a screenplay that reads from front to back with a quickened pace; it’s tightly woven and kinetic – it’s as if it knows precisely what it is: a fun adventure to fill the spaces between the premiere and Moffat’s Listen and it does so, determined to make the journey a pleasant one indeed. There’s no time to waste for such a busy story to tell, so the episode dives right into its set-up. I suppose that’s what I personally admire about Robot of Sherwood, its unpretentiousness; the story begins with no convoluted backstory as to why the characters are here, it begins instead with a simple question: where in all of time and space do you wish to visit? And Clara answers. You would think a moment like this would be common in the TARDIS, after all the Doctor and his companions are always travelling, yet Robot of Sherwood is one of the few stories which depicts these jaunts across the universe earnestly, even innocently.

10:00:00 INT. TARDIS-DAY 1

THE DOCTOR

Take a punt!

THE DOCTOR is in the upper gallery of the TARDIS, eating a yoghurt and scribbling impossible equations on his blackboards. CLARA is below, by the console.

CLARA

(OS)

Right.

THE DOCTOR

Your choice. Wherever. Whenever. Anywhere in space and time.

CLARA

(shyly)

Well. There is something. Someone... I’ve always wanted to meet. But I know what you’ll say.

THE DOCTOR stops writing, looks down.

THE DOCTOR

Try me.

CLARA

You’ll say he’s made up. That there’s no such thing...it’s...it’s Robin Hood!

Beat.

THE DOCTOR

Robin Hood?

CLARA

Yeah!

CLARA

(CONT’D)

I love that story. Always loved it. Ever since I was little.

THE DOCTOR

Robin Hood, the heroic outlaw who robbed from the rich to give to the poor?

CLARA

(giggles)

Yeah!

THE DOCTOR

He’s made up. There’s no such thing.

He scrapes out the last of the yoghurt, pockets the spoon and carries on scribbling.

CLARA

You see!

THE DOCTOR

Old fashioned heroes only exist in old fashioned story books, Clara.

CLARA

What about you?

THE DOCTOR

Me?

CLARA

Yeah, you. You stop bad things happening. Every minute of every day. That sounds pretty heroic to me.

THE DOCTOR

(shrugs)

I’m just passing the time. Hey, what about Mars?

CLARA

What?

He flips the blackboard. There’s a chalk drawing of a vast honeycombed structure.

First, I must again emphasize how sudden an introduction this scene serves as to begin the story and launch us into its narrative; a simple ‘take a punt’ is all it takes for Robot of Sherwood. But also: using parentheses underneath the dialogue, as Gatiss has here, gives the cast and crew some subtle hints as to the delivery and the movement of his characters. You can easily place the ‘shyness’ of Clara’s response, her giggles, the Doctor’s shrugs – elements of the performance that help to sell the innocence of the scene. These kinds of directions through parentheses can come to shape a scene. Although writers, especially amateurs oft overuse them. When Robin comes to explain his circumstances to Clara, once more Gatiss makes use of these directions to their fullest effect:

He looks deep into CLARA’s eyes. She looks back.

CLARA

Why are you so sad?

ROBIN

Why would you think me sad?

CLARA

Because the Doctor’s right. You laugh too much.

ROBIN

I do not live this outlaw life by choice, my Lady. You see before you Robert, Earl-

CLARA

Earl of Loxley!

ROBIN

(puzzled)

Yes.

CLARA

Sorry. Do go on.

ROBIN

I have my lands and titles were stripped from me when I dared to speak out against Prince John. (sighs) But I spoke too late. And lost the thing most dear to me...

CLARA

What was she called?

ROBIN

So very quick! How does the Doctor stand it?

CLARA

Marian?

ROBIN

You know her?

CLARA

(Smiles, so happy -it’s all true)

Oh, yes, I have always known her.

ROBIN

It was Marian who told me that I must stand up and be counted. But I was afraid. Now this green canopy is my palace and the rough ground my feather bed. One day, perhaps I can return home. Until then, until that day it is beholden on me to be the man Marian wanted. (His hand strays to the locket round his neck) To be a hero for those this tyrant Sheriff slaughters.

Suddenly THE DOCTOR looms up in between them.

The smiles and the direction concerning their eyes directs the focus and the mood of the scene. The author goes to the length even of describing the motivation behind the happiness of Clara’s mile. As the scene advances the production notes indicate that Robin’s mood ‘brightens’ too…

ROBIN

(brightening)

Well, you must excuse me!The Sheriff has issued a proclamation. Tomorrow, there’s to be a contest to find the best archer in the land! And the bounty: an arrow of pure gold!

CLARA

NO, no, don’t go! It’s a trap!

ROBIN

Of course it is! But I can never resist a challenge! A contest to find the best archer in the land?

(To his men)

Why, there is no contest!

Parentheses can also indicate that a speaker is talking to someone in particular as Robin is here with his merrymen.

Action, nevertheless, is a key component of this post-production script. The sword fighting bookends the story and captures the spirit of the story; its light, romantic air.

The sword fighting can be dramatic, but here, with its ‘spoon fighting’ it serves as a bit of slapstick for audiences:

THE DOCTOR

(CONT’D)

En garde!

ROBIN laughs -and they set to.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Sword hits spoon. Back and forth they go over the log bridge. ROBIN lunges, THE DOCTOR parries. He’s coolly, casually absolutely brilliant at it.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

CLARA

(impressed)

You’re...amazing.

THE DOCTOR

I’ve had some experience.

(shrugs)

Richard the Lionheart...

Clang!

THE DOCTOR

(CONT’D)

Cyrano de Bergerac...

Clang!

THE DOCTOR

(CONT’D)

Errol Flynn.

Clang!

THE DOCTOR

(CONT’D)

Had the most enormous –

Clang!

THE DOCTOR

(CONT’D)

-ego.

CLARA

Takes one to know one.

THE DOCTOR executes a neat move, trips up ROBIN and sends him into the stream with a huge splash!

CLARA

(CONT’D)

Doctor...

Once more Gatiss paints the scene with close attention to the sounds of the scene. The author leaves the specifics of the action, the choreography, to the imagination and more importantly, the expertise of a fight director. Besides, a screenplay would be poorly paced if each strike and blow were described. Instead, this script ‘clangs’ along, measuring the fight with the sounds of clanging metal rather than a more precise exposition. Gatiss demonstrates that nothing particularly specific needs to be written, instead each ‘clang’ paces the scene – one line after another – spaced not with pauses but stage combat. The romance of Gatiss’ script is also, present, however with its camera direction; the drama of the episode’s final swordfight, a classic encounter between the Sheriff and the prince of thieves begins with a curious production note:

ROBIN

(O.S.)

Too kind!

They all look up.

HERO CLOSE UP. In the minstrels’ gallery at the top of the huge banner stands -ROBIN!

ROBIN

(CONT’D)

And this legend does not come alone!

A ‘hero close-up’ here is one way to mark the arrival of Robin; a rare direction which indicates special attention towards the hero in a light that obviously highlights their heroism – a towering, imposing shot to lead Robin into battle. While Gatiss uses camera directions far less than other writers in this series, certainly there are some interesting choices in Robot of Sherwood as far as directing how the episode should look is concerned. One transition in the post-production script that I found particularly interesting was a scene where the main characters suffered a blow to the head. You’ve seen these kinds of scenes before… the hero is whapped on the head by surprise:

He looks up as the KNIGHT raises its chain-mailed fist high in the air.

Then brings it down on the back of THE DOCTOR’s neck.

BLACKOUT

And groggily, the main character awakes…

10:33:37 EXT. SHERWOOD FOREST. ENCAMPMENT -DAY 3

CLARA’s blurred POV. At last she comes round. ROBIN is towards her, toying with the golden arrow from the tournament, his face expressionless.

CLARA manages a weak smile.

CLARA

Hi.

ROBIN

The time for games is over.

CLARA looks worried.

CUT TO:

I just found it especially interesting to see how simple the script had made it to express such a transition; no particularly drawn out prose, just a ‘BLACKOUT’ and an indication that the scene was from a character’s POV served as an adequate production note. One similar production note that made me snicker was from an earlier scene (see below) as the author describes a montage of media.

FX: His fingers dance again and the screens before them are suddenly filled with images of ROBIN HOOD. Storybooks, (non-copyright) movies, engravings, paintings. On and on and on they go.

THE DOCTOR

(CONT’D)

Ship’s data banks. Full of every myth and legend you could hope for. Including...Robin Hood! Friend of the poor!

Copyrighted material poses a serious challenge for screenwriters and here Gatiss is covering his butt, so to speak, by avoiding specifying any particular versions of Robin Hood – all of these decision have to be made later by the director – writers as such, avoiding copyrights and song rights and royalty fees etc., rarely if ever specify the appearance of, say, particular tracks or outside media.

As with all of these post-production scripts, however, they do go to great lengths to aid in the actors and actresses’ performance; these notes give insight into the characters’ thoughts or their motivations in a scene and help a performer capture the spirit of a scene even more precisely but the notes are also just rather interesting too for the casual reader. Like, for example, when Clara is frustrated with Robin and the Doctor, Gatiss goes out of his way to describe in what way she presents her anger:

On CLARA: at frustration boiling point!!The words now rip from her – full on schoolteacher!

CLARA

(Roaring)

Will. You two. SHUT!!! UP!!!!!

They both fall into startled silence. Look at her.

Here the camera direction signals a focus on Clara, describing her delivery as resembling a frustrated schoolteacher. It’s notes like these that I find give me a better feel for Clara, the character. Perhaps because we weren’t introduced to ‘Clara the Schoolteacher’ first, but only later introduced to this new Clara (so to speak) really in Deep Breath (although we saw her teaching earlier in The Day of the Doctor), I often forget Clara –is— a schoolteacher and it’s through moments like these, hints through delivery that the author intends to remind audiences of just who the Doctor is dealing with for a faithful companion. Other notes don’t have to be so final, so to speak, however.

SHERIFF

Tell me yours!

CLARA

Oh, but you have to go first.

SHERIFF

Why so?

She leans into him, a little flirtatious. Perhaps runs a finger round his jaw.

CLARA

Because great men always precede.

While the above is a bit unusual as far as this series of scripts are concerned, I find it interesting that the author is essentially requesting that a gesture be tried, although ultimately leaving the decision on whether to keep it up to other authorities – presumably, Gatiss was unsure whether a stroke of a finger might look too flirtatious or be too much on screen. Ultimately, Gatiss’ reluctance to print the stroke proved right since in the final cut of the episode, the crew decided to use a shot of Clara simply touching the Sheriff’s hand instead.

We see Gatiss’ wit in full display earlier with some smashing exposition for the classic ‘Golden Arrow’ tournament, too. Once more, a universal aspect (the tournament) of Robin Hood retellings, retold here with Gatiss’ own breezy, casual wit and charm…

The target is shifted quite a way back.

The SHERIFF takes out an arrow and expertly threads it into his long bow. He pulls back the bowstring and aims, narrowing his eye. The crowd are hushed, expectant.

He fires. And hits the bullseye first time! The crowd cheer.

ROBIN steps forward. There are murmurs from the crowd. Surely he doesn’t stand a chance?

SHERIFF

(CONT’D)

Now, tinker. Let’s see your true face...

ROBIN takes out an arrow from his quiver and prepares to fire. In the crowd, CLARA looks on anxiously.

CUT TO:

The bowstring creaks. ROBIN’s eye narrows.

CUT TO:

Whoosh!

FX: We follow the arrow as it shoots through the summery air –

– and it splits the SHERIFF’s arrow in two!

CLARA spontaneously applauds.

The SHERIFF scowls.

ROBIN turns to CLARA and winks, devastatingly.

CUT TO:

HERALD

Ye Gads! He has split the arrow! Truly, he is the finest archer in all England!

The crowd cheer.

I love too how this scene is paced; it’s always parsed one moment at a time. It’s ‘He pulls back the bullstring…’ then ‘the crowd are hushed, expectant’… then ‘he fires’ and, as if waiting for the result to unfold, Gatiss responds in kind with the following sentence ‘And hits the…’ – the pacing here allows the reader to visualize the action unfolding as if it is happening because not only is it told in a fluid, present tense but it’s almost told as a kind of running commentary. As if even the author doesn’t know what’s coming next, that is, until it’s come. This scene has all the earmarks of Gatiss’ style; the well chose prose, the handsome phrases (‘devastatingly’) and the occasional sound effect. Note how Gatiss controls the focus of the scene from quick references (‘In the crowd…’) to more direct exposition like ‘We follow the arrow…’ – this latter line marked with an FX indicator is a reminder to all writers to bear in mind the feasible of their scenes; here Gatiss has indicated that, although it may be a practical effect, some kind of special effect will be needed to accomplish the splitting of an arrow – a miraculous feat, indeed!

Sometimes to control a scene’s focus too, the use of CUT TO, as Gatiss has done here, can indicate a new moment in a scene’s development and complement a fast moving scene. The exposition of these scripts though is what I really what I enjoy; here Gatiss describes the thoughts of the murmuring crowd in plain detail (‘Surely he doesn’t stand a chance?’) and in scenes like below, the author seems to enjoy witty exposition – a laugh or two – at the expense of its characters; here he mocks Robin’s disguise:

He throws off his ‘disguise’.

ROBIN

(CONT’D)

Robin Hood!

The crowd go mental. Cries of ‘ROBIN!’ ‘Tis ROBIN Hood!’

Special to Robot of Sherwood, however, among these leaked scripts is an unreleased scene. While shooting scripts normally contain some scenes that go unused in the final product (filming extra ensures that after editing, a show’s length isn’t too short – reshooting is an outcome that production teams want to avoid, after all.) However these scripts are the last place I would look for deleted scenes since these scripts are, as I’ve noted, not shooting scripts but post-production scripts and appear to have been edit to be accurate as far as the final version is concerned with one significant exception. As some of our readers may know, a brief scene (shown below) which features a beheading was left on the cutting room floor out of respect for Steven Sotloff and James Foley; journalists tragically beheaded by ISIS.

ROBIN

No. I rather think it’s you that’s facing the final curtain!

The SHERIFF turns to see THE DOCTOR tearing down the tapestry. In one elegant gesture, he flings it over the SHERIFF. He flails helplessly around.

ROBIN seizes the SHERIFF’s sword and, swinging it round in an enormous arc, decapitates the SHERIFF!

His head, wrapped in the tapestry, rolls across the floor. The SHERIFF drops to his knees –

CLARA

Brilliant, Robin, Brilli –

FX: -and then the SHERIFF’s headless body gets up again!!

CLARA

(CONT’D)

Oh, come on.

FX: The SHERIFF’s severed head rolls from under the tapestry and speaks!

SHERIFF

I forgot to mention, my Lady, that the skyship fell on me. And my rude Mechanicals took good care of me. Very. Good. Care.

CLARA

You’re a robot, too??

SHERIFF

Half of me, my Lady. The rest is talent and pure flair!

FX: The headless body grabs CLARA and points its sword at her throat.

SHERIFF

(CONT’D)

Surrender! Or the wench dies!

THE DOCTOR and ROBIN exchange glances, then –

FX: ROBIN scoops up the SHERIFF’s severed head and tosses it to the headless body – which promptly lets go of CLARA and clicks its head back on!

SHERIFF

(CONT’D)

Thank you!

ROBIN

Call it a sporting gesture!

SHERIFF

And one which will cost you your neck!

He swishes his sword.

Certainly it’s a joy seeing the vision that Gatiss had for the scene here – the shock that the audiences should have felt when the Sheriff recovered from his decapitation is conveyed here in the exposition, exclamations abound. But the real question is whether the deletion of this scene detracts from Robot of Sherwood – whether knowing, that is, the Sheriff’s true nature adds to the story? The following line (‘Half man, half engine’) does make very little sense without the context that this script provides, however, I’m not sure that the deletion of this scene really hurt Robot of Sherwood, perhaps because the damage had already had been done, so to speak. You see one thing I would say is I felt the backstory, the narrative as far as the robots are concerned was undeveloped – so undeveloped even that what little more we learnt of the robots and their intentions wouldn’t have helped. The robots themselves seem to be, as characters, riding on the coattails of the series arc in ‘searching for the promised land’ but provided little in the way of depth or further character exploration. Case in point, the robots aren’t even given a proper name in the script besides the ‘KNIGHTS’; here’s how Gatiss describes them in the script while introducing them to readers –

FX: -and the KNIGHTS suddenly change. Their helmets shift, Transformer-like, revealing blank, scary faces like tomb effigies. A gleaming purple light glows into life within, projecting a cross, like a sniper’s sight onto the PEASANTS.

FX: Purple lasers streak out -boom! boom! boom!

FX: Archery targets burst into flame as the lasers strafe the courtyard. Screams. Panic.

– visual clues here help paint the picture of the robots (which I give credit to the production team for beautifully capturing) with their blank, sepulchral faces that transform and transfix onto their targets with those distinctive laser crosshairs; as we move to a scene featuring the interior of their spaceship, Gatiss goes on to describe their spaceship with a shimmer despite its damaged goods –

10:29:12 INT. CASTLE. ‘BRIDGE’ -NIGHT 2

--into --

The bridge of a spaceship! Instrument consoles glitter and hum. At the centre of the room, a vast sphere like a Sun. It’s cracked and leaking steam.

ROBIN

By all the saints! What is this place?

What should we expect from characters like the Knights in Robot of Sherwood? I do wonder if the story could have been improved with further characterization of the Knights. Perhaps they could have possessed ‘adaptive technology’ – designed to fit in, adapt with local cultures – but even if they’re nomadic, that is, homeless now, robots have to originate from somewhere and they (unless they’re really extraordinary) have to be the invention of someone or something else. Thinking along the lines of adaptive technology, perhaps the Knights were reconnaissance drones from a long dead, abandoned mission. But perhaps, alternatively, it doesn’t matter either way. Gatiss made a conscious decision to cut out an extended backstory for the Knights. Does the story suffer because of said decision? It’s hard to say other than to repeat what I wrote earlier that Robot of Sherwood is a retelling of Robin Hood that aims to please universally and thus, in some ways, the robots of the stories simply serve as an excuse, a quick and easy justification for combining the Doctor Who universe with Sherwood Forest and in that respect, the author succeeded resoundingly with its easygoing, relaxed approach.

My favourite scene comes during Robot of Sherwood’s final moments, a final conversation between Robin Hood and the Doctor.

THE DOCTOR is with the rest of the MERRY MEN, saying goodbye.

ROBIN approaches.

ROBIN

(CONT’D)

So is it true?

THE DOCTOR

Is what true?

ROBIN

That in the future I am forgotten as a real man. I am but a legend.

THE DOCTOR

I’m afraid so.

ROBIN

Good. History is a burden. But stories can make us fly.

THE DOCTOR

I’m still having a little trouble believing your’s I’m afraid.

ROBIN

Is it so hard to credit, that a man born to wealth and privilege should find the plight of the weak and the oppressed too much to bear ...

THE DOCTOR

I know –

ROBIN

... till one night he is moved to steal a TARDIS and fly among the stars to join the good fight.

THE DOCTOR stares at him -what??

ROBIN

(CONT’D)

Clara told me your stories.

THE DOCTOR, taken aback. Almost floundering.

THE DOCTOR

Well ... she shouldn’t have told you any of that ...

ROBIN

Once the stories began, I could hardly stop her. You are her hero, I think.

THE DOCTOR

I’m not a hero.

ROBIN

Well, neither am I. But if we keep pretending to be, perhaps others will be heroes in our name. Perhaps we will both be stories. (Extends his hand to shake the Doctor’s) May those stories never end.

THE DOCTOR shakes ROBIN’s hand.

ROBIN

(CONT’D)

Goodbye, Doctor, Time Lord of Gallifrey.

THE DOCTOR

Goodbye, Robin Hood, Earl of Loxley.

ROBIN

And remember, Doctor. I’m just as real as you are.

A smile between them. Almost complicity.

When Robin describes the Doctor’s tale as beginning as one from ‘wealth and privilege,’ Gatiss invokes the economics of the folklore: a hero forgoes his titles, wealth and riches to help the oppressed. Oddly enough, the ‘folk’ don’t seem to embrace stories of their own helping their own class; a crossing of classes, a valiant and noble sacrifice of a comfortable, privileged position in society is what endears a hero to its people. A socialist might argue this is simply a replication of the class structure: a bourgeois myth (like Gatiss’ reference to Marx’s ‘opium of the masses’) that the poor require the charity, the heroism of members of the higher classes; under that view these legends only serve to lull the masses and reinforce the notion that the poor need to be saved by higher powers and the rich are in some way special and individually significant in any pursuit of justice they may wage. Funny enough, Robot of Sherwood largely avoids depicting thievery, despite it playing an important role in Robin Hood lore; however, I found it especially interesting that the Doctor’s background here was being hinted as being a wealthy one. Given past episodes, especially those with the Master, it’s been hinted that the Doctor lived on a wealthy estate, whereas Listen shows the Doctor living in peasantry and squalor, it could be said then that there are still lots of questions remaining with regards to the early prospects and the circumstances of the Doctor’s upbringing.

Is the Doctor a self-made man or a prince of good fortune?

 

The comparison between Robin Hood and the Doctor however is central to Robot of Sherwood and in this scene, the author lays out that comparison through Robin as a voice for those thoughts. The comparison works on two levels: a meta-discussion on Doctor Who and as insight into heroism as an idea. With regards to the former, Robot of Sherwood, in making the comparison between its two classic heroes, reminds us that the Doctor could grow and survive as a folk story for generations as Robin Hood has. About heroism, Gatiss also makes a very brave point: that even if we may not always be convinced we are the good people that others think we are, the inspiration it brings can ultimately change the world for the better. The message that Robot of Sherwood departs us with is a simple one, that a hero is the sum of the good deeds he or she inspires others to pursue. It’s an important step in the Doctor’s series long self-inquiry which finally culminates with the ‘I’m an Idiot’ speech in Death in Heaven.

I gained a lot more respect for Mark Gatiss and his approach to writing for Doctor Who after reading this gorgeous post-production script; it’s frightfully witty and (deceptively) makes the task of writing such an episode out to be such a breeze. For whatever reason, be it resources, time, energy, an album is made of songs we might consider ‘A’ and ‘B side’ tracks – Gatiss has time and time again been given the challenge as he was here with Robot of Sherwood to write some of the ‘B stories’ of Doctor Who, the filler episodes perhaps, between the most anticipated of stories. After reading Gatiss’ work in all of its cleverness, I have to admit I wonder if that’s been a waste of his potential, but regardless we have these stories now to enjoy, fun in and of themselves, like Robot of Sherwood which ‘whooshes’ along here as its script does, full of humour and adventure, before ending as all good storybook tales should: happily.

ROBIN

Marian?

ROBIN races towards her and they kiss.

Then ROBIN breaks away, laughing in his hearty way.

He jumps up onto a rock, hands on hips. Then he threads an arrow into his bow and fires it. We zoom along its length as he shoots it towards the camera.

THWAKKKK!!

The post Series 8 Script Analysis: Robot of Sherwood appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Candy Jar Issues Revised Schedule for Lethbridge-Stewart Series

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.

You should be aware of the Lethbridge-Stewart series of novels from Candy Jar Books, set when the titular character was but a colonel in the pre-UNIT, post-Web of Fear days. We previously reviewed the series opener, The Forgotten Son, and interviewed author Andy Frankham-Allen with Candy Jar’s Shaun Russell and (Lethbridge-Stewart co-creator) Mervyn Haisman’s granddaughter Hannah in the podKast.

The series schedule has now been revised following the unfortunate delay of David A McIntee’s The Schizoid Earth, with Nick Walter’s Mutually Assured Domination and Frankham-Allen’s collaboration with Terrance Dicks, Beast of Fang Rock, still set for release but in a slightly different timeframe.

David A McIntee says: “I’m sorry nobody’s had a chance to read the book yet. I had hoped to be able to finish it earlier than originally planned so that it could be brought forward somewhat. A family bereavement has negated that hope (my mother-in-law died a few weeks ago) leading to all the irritating practical and bureaucratic interruptions you might imagine. The book, however, is nearly finished and will be coming very soon.”

Hayley Cox, publishing co-ordinator at Candy Jar Books, says: “We are determined to not let this setback affect the rest of this year’s releases, and we are committed to getting four titles out by the end of 2015 as originally intended.”

The Schizoid Earth

The Schizoid Earth will now be released September 25th, and features a slightly revised cover incorporating new artwork by Adrian Salmon, who has provided art for Doctor Who Magazine and Big Finish Productions, among many others.

“Lethbridge-Stewart was supposed to be in the mountains of the east. Things didn’t quite go according to plan.

On the eve of war, something appeared in the sky; a presence that blotted out the moon. Now it has returned, and no battle plan can survive first contact with this enemy.

Plagued by nightmares of being trapped in a past that never happened, Lethbridge-Stewart must unravel the mystery of a man ten years out of his time; a man who cannot possibly still exist.

Why do the ghosts of fallen soldiers still fight long-forgotten battles against living men? What is the secret of the rural English town of Deepdene? Lethbridge-Stewart has good reason to doubt his own sanity, but is he suffering illness or injury, or is something more sinister going on?”

David A McIntee has written novels for Star Trek, Final Destination and Space: 1999 and over fifteen books and audio dramas for Doctor Who since 1993, including the Brigadier-centric novel, The Face of the Enemy. David said: “To be honest it (the series) is something I’m amazed hasn’t been done before – it’s just such a natural and obvious thing. The form it’s taking is also cool because it has the flexibility to move between styles and genres – thriller, SF, horror, etc – while maintaining a definite identity. As for the Brig himself, he’s one of those characters where the casting was so perfect that it just made the character so memorable, and who (usually) feels so right.”

Beast of Fang Rock

Beast of Fang Rock will be releases October 23rd, and features cover art by Colin Howard, who has provided artwork for Doctor Who Magazine, Red Dwarf and BBC Video among many others.

’There’s always death on the rock when the Beast’s about.’

Fang Rock has always had a bad reputation. Since 1955 the lighthouse has been out of commission, shut down because of fire that gutted the entire tower. But now, finally updated and fully renovated, the island and lighthouse is once again about to be brought back into service.  Students have gathered on Fang Rock to celebrate the opening of the ‘most haunted lighthouse of the British Isles’, but they get more than they bargained for when the ghosts of long-dead men return, accompanied by a falling star.

Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart is brought in to investigate what he believes to be signs of alien involvement. But it is not only Lethbridge-Stewart who has an interest in Fang Rock. Anne Travers is called to her family solicitor’s, who have in their possession a letter from Archibald Goff, the paranormal investigator who once visited Fang Rock back in the 1820s, and along with it a piece of alien technology.

What connects a shooting star, ghosts of men killed in 1902 and the beast that roamed Fang Rock in 1823? Lethbridge-Stewart and Anne Travers are about to discover the answer first hand…

Beast of Fang Rock has a foreword by Louise Jameson, who played Leela, the Doctor’s companion from 1976-1978 and appeared in Horror of Fang Rock.

Andy Frankham-Allen is the deputy editor at Candy Jar Books and has been a Doctor Who fan since his childhood. Andy is the former line editor of Untreed Reads Publishing’s series Space: 1889 & Beyond, and has penned several Doctor Who Short Trip stories for Big Finish and Candy Jar’s Lethbridge-Stewart: The Forgotten Son, as well as Companions: Fifty Years of Doctor Who Assistants. He said: “There’s been such a warm reception to the first book I must thank everybody for all their kind words. My next book is a dream come true. It’s an idea I’ve had rattling around in my head since 1998, so it’s great privilege to be able to make it a reality, and even more so due to Terrance Dicks’ involvement with it.”

Mutually Assured Domination

Mutually Assured Domination will be released November 20th, and features stunning cover art by Adrian Salmon.

The late ‘60s. Global power balances are shifting and the peace movement, preoccupied with the Vietnam War after the Tet offensive, has perhaps taken its eye off the nuclear ball.

Certain ‘outside interests’ take advantage of this situation and soon the world is poised on the brink of nuclear armageddon.

It’s up to Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart and uneasy ally journalist Harold Chorley to fight the forces of darkness and save the day.

Featuring the return of the Dominators and their weapons of mass destruction, the Quarks! Also features a forward by novelist Paul Finch.

Nick Walters has written five novels for Doctor Who since 1998. Nick said: “After the Doctor himself the Brigadier is the best-loved character in Doctor Who. I met Nick Courtney a number of times and he really is a splendid fellow. He brought a real humanity and vulnerability to the role without compromising the essential toughness of the character. Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart is the chap you’d want on your side in a fight – any fight – and it is a real privilege to be exploring what made him into the character we came to know and love.”

You can pre-order all of these titles direct from Candy Jar Books now.

(The story of Colonel Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart is fully licensed by the Executor of the Haisman Literary Estate, Mervyn Haisman’s granddaughter Hannah Haisman, and endorsed by Henry Lincoln.)

The post Candy Jar Issues Revised Schedule for Lethbridge-Stewart Series appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Steven Moffat Previews Doctor Who Series 9 in DWM #490

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.

Doctor Who Magazine has spoken to executive producer and head writer, Steven Moffat, to give us a taste of what’s in store over the next 12 episodes…

“Why not start with a blockbuster?” says Steven of the two-part opening story, The Magician’s Apprentice and The Witch’s Familiar. “Why leave it till the last two weeks? So yes, it’s like starting with a finale, and having a big, grand, movie-sized story, as opposed to a 45-minute story.”

What does Steven like about the longer format? “It allows you to play with certain things,” he replies. “There’s a kind of scale that you can attain in a two-parter, that you can’t have in 45 minutes. It’s a scale that we’re not used to at the moment, as we haven’t done two-parters for quite a while. And in a way, it’s sort of advertising the fact that we’ve got two-parters back this year. We do things in that first episode that I would say are very ‘two-parter-y’.”

ALSO INSIDE ISSUE 490…

THE SECRET DIARY OF THE MASTER!

He’s mad, bad and dangerous to know… and now, DWM has discovered the secret diary of the Master, which reveals the insane thinking behind his… er, her every scheme!
LOST IN TRANSLATION

Why does nearly everyone in Doctor Who speak English? Steve Lyons investigates the mystery of universal translation throughout the history of the series – and comes to some intriguing conclusions…
THE NAME OF THE DOCTOR?

Showrunner Steven Moffat answers more readers’ questions – and presents a brand new scene which explores what the Doctor called himself during the Time War…
THE VAMPIRE MUTATIONS

The Fourth Doctor and Romana encounter creatures with a thirst for blood – and an ancient enemy of the Time Lords – as the The Fact of Fiction explores the 1980 story State of Decay.
THE RETURN OF DANNY PINK

Clara has a shocking reunion with her boyfriend in the brand-new comic strip adventure, Spirits of the Jungle, by Jonathan Morris, illustrated by John Ross.
TRAILS AND TRIBULATIONS

Novelist, fan girl, and mum Jacqueline Rayner celebrates the joy of a new Doctor Who trailer in her regular column, Relative Dimensions.
IT’S THE END…

The Time Team embark on a marathon viewing session as they sit down to watch David Tennant’s swansong as the Doctor: The End of Time.
THE COMPLETE HISTORY

DWM takes a look at a landmark new series of books, which begins in September: Doctor Who The Complete History.
ON THEIR WAY…

DWM talks to the people involved in the latest Doctor Who CD and book releases, including Dan Starkey, James Goss and Gary Russell.
THE UNEXPLAINED

The Watcher examines some of the many unanswered questions in Doctor Who and celebrates a feisty equine talent in Wotcha!.
PLUS! All the latest official news, reviews, competitions and The DWM Crossword.

Doctor Who Magazine 490 is on sale from Thursday 20 August 2015, price £4.99.

The post Steven Moffat Previews Doctor Who Series 9 in DWM #490 appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Moffat Doesn’t Know Why Blink Is “a fan favorite”

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.

Go figure. Eight years after it aired in Doctor Who Series 3, Steven Moffat claims that he still doesn’t know why Blink – written and broadcast when he was just a scriptwriter – is so popular.

We reckon it’s because it’s a compelling script that doesn’t get distracted with muddy story arcs and doesn’t have the time to look at itself and say “aren’t I clever?” Interviewed for The Doctor’s Finest (Saturdays at 8/7c) the now-Doctor Who showrunner says:

“I don’t know why ‘Blink’ is such a fan favorite. … I had no idea there was anything special about it, honestly.”

Thankfully, Moffat-era script editor Derek Ritchie has some ideas. “You’ve got mystery. You’ve got enigma. You’ve got great character. And then of course, there’s Weeping Angels.”

Ah yes, the Weeping Angels. It’s been a while since we last encountered them, isn’t it? Are they due a return, or are they best enjoyed in Blink? And why do you think Blink is so well-liked/

The post Moffat Doesn’t Know Why Blink Is “a fan favorite” appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

News Blast: Missions, Merlin, Martha, and Waris on the TARDIS

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.

We’re all a bit jaded. The start of a new week is greeted by few. So here’s a super-heated ball of News Blast-y goodness to set you on the right track for the next few days.

This week, we offer you a parrot, a missionary Dalek (take that as you will), K9, Merlin and a redhead, Waris Hussein – and then some.

Intrigued? Okay, here goes…

OBEY! OBEY! O-BEY!

What the hoo-hah is Mission Dalek?

We’re not sure, but over the past couple of days, it’s been teased by the BBC. It’s not a particularly revealing trailer. But it’s likely some sort of app or mini-game, released to stir up publicity not only for Series 9, but also for the premiere specifically, which features – spoilers, I guess  – Daleks.

Last year, we have The Doctor and the Dalek. This year: Mission Dalek?

Waris on the TARDIS Once More

Earlier this week we were delighted that the legendary Waris Hussein – http://t.co/KxpbDk7SP7 – visited the TARDIS! pic.twitter.com/DqlCDwh4O1

— Doctor Who Official (@bbcdoctorwho) August 14, 2015

Waris Hussein is a bit of a legend, having directed the first serial of Doctor Who, as well as Marco Polo. Rightly so: along with Verity Lambert, he convinced William Hartnell to become the First Doctor, and was a key ingredient in the show’s foundations.

Photos have emerged of the director visiting the set of the TARDIS, accompanied by the Twelfth Doctor, Peter Capaldi – who, I’m pretty sure, was fanboying. Good for him! I would be too, if I had met the great man (he does do the occasional convention appearance).

Many will be familiar with part of Waris’ story thanks to An Adventure in Space and Time, where he was played wonderfully by Sacha Dhawan.

Man and Super(natural)man

Fans of Merlin and Humans will welcome the news that Colin Morgan (Midnight) is fronting a new BBC One drama series, The Living and the Dead, in which he plays Nathan Appleby.

He’s joined by Charlotte Spencer (Glue; Line of Duty), who plays his other half, Charlotte. The eight-part mystery series is written by Ashley Pharoah (Wild at Heart), and he’s joined by his Life on Mars/ Ashes to Ashes co-creator, Matthew Graham (Fear Her, The Rebel Flesh/The Almost People), who’s Executive Producer alongside Katie McAleese for BBC Wales Drama Production, and Faith Penhale, Head of BBC Wales Drama Production (and exec on The Day of the Doctor).

Directed by Alice Troughton (The Doctor’s Daughter; Midnight), here’s what the supernatural drama promises:

“What lies beneath should be left beneath

Somerset, 1894. A house that’s almost as old as the English countryside itself. A brilliant young couple inherit the farm and are determined to start a new life together. But their presence in this isolated corner of England starts to unleash strange, unsettling and dangerous supernatural phenomena that will start to threaten their marriage.

This is a drama steeped in the eeriness of the rural world at the moment when the industrial revolution came crashing in to disrupt all the old certainties. Uncanny, intriguing, disturbing. At the series’ heart is the love story of Nathan and Charlotte Appleby: deeply in love with each other but put under extraordinary pressure, they will have to fight to save their marriage and their home.

With two very captivating leads, and an unusual premise too, I’m sure The Living and the Dead will be a success!

Ripper Returns

Speaking of successes – the fourth series of Ripper Street has begun filming in Ireland.

Saved by Amazon Prime, the hit gritty series was recommissioned not just for a third run of stories (airing on BBC One every Friday night), but also a fourth and fifth!

The core leads – Matthew MacFadyen (Reid), Jerome Flynn (Drake), and Adam Rothenberg (Jackson) – all return, as will The Impossible Planet‘s MyAnna Buring (Long Susan), and Charlene McKenna (Rose). Creator, Richard Warlow, says:

“From our new studio set in Ireland, it has been a delight to watch this cast reunite and grow. As these new characters’ lives take shape on the page it is a daily inspiration to know that they will be brought to life by the most magnificent troupe of actors Ripper Street has yet assembled.”

In a nice surprise, two actors from Series 1 are also set to come back: Derek Riddell, who Whovians will know from Tooth and Claw, and Lucy Cohu!

The Essential Book of K9 Launches!

K9 co-creator, Bob Baker will be launching The Essential Book of K9 alongside its author, Paul Tams, at an exclusive signing in Sheffield’s Galaxy Four store.

The book originally aimed to find funding over at IndieGoGo, but it seems it’s got the go-ahead, retailing at £19.99. At the signing, however, you’ll be able to grab it at £17.99 on the day, plus the pair will also sign up to 5 personal items free of charge for purchasers of the hardcover. The Essential Book of K9 is full of factual information about K9’s history and development to date plus a comic strip and original fiction written by Bob.

You can pre-order a copy online, or attend the launch on Saturday 29th August from 12:30.

Is Martha a Heroine?

As sci-fi fans, you might be interested to hear that Heroes is getting a relaunch, similar to Doctor Who (but obviously not as good).

Heroes Reborn is a thirteen-part miniseries, and will star Freema Agyeman aka Martha Jones! Here’s what to expect:

“A year ago, a terrorist attack in Odessa, Texas left the city decimated. Blamed for the tragic event, those with extraordinary abilities are in hiding or on the run from those with nefarious motives.”

There will be some returning faces, notably Masi Oka as the time-bending Hiro Nakamura; Greg Grunberg as the telepathic cop, Matt Parker; and Sendhil Ramamurthy as Professor Mohinder Suresh. Hayden Panettiere definately won’t be back as the seemingly-unkillable Claire Bennett. As Claire’s been killed off-screen, at least according to creator, Tim Kring.

Jack Coleman, though, will be back as Claire’s dad.

I look forward to seeing how it all comes together. Season 1 was pretty great, but I completely abandoned it in Season 2…

Weird Science in Tunbridge Wells

The Weird Science Show came to the Royal Victoria Place shopping centre in Tunbridge Wells on Wednesday 5th August, bringing with it three Doctors and a few Daleks too. Well, sort of.

Those Doctors were, of course, lookalikes of David Tennant, Matt Smith, and Peter Capaldi, but I’m assured the Daleks were genuine. Marc Burchett, marketing manager,  said:

“The Weird Science Shows with our amazing Doctor Who Lookalikes proved to be a big hit with shoppers of all ages. It was amazing to see some of the parents and grandparents getting just as excited as the children, especially when they got the chance for a photo or selfie. We are also delighted to have a display of genuine props from the BBC TV series on display at the centre until Tuesday August 11 featuring classics characters to include Davros and the Cybermen plus the Daleks of course.”

Further events at the Royal Victoria Place include Jurassic Friday on August 21 from 11.30am, 1pm, 2.30pm and 4pm, and Star Wars Fun Day on on August 26 at the same times.

Check out a whole bevvy of photos from the Weird Science Show.

I Know a Song That Won’t Get on Your Nerves…

So, that’s it for today, right? Wrong! Sometimes, we worry that we leave you with little closure after a News Blast. All that compiled goodness, thundering through your brain at terrific speeds – you need something to cool you down. To ease you back into life with a spring in your step and a song on your lips.

Here, have an African grey parrot whistling the Doctor Who theme.

You’re welcome.

The post News Blast: Missions, Merlin, Martha, and Waris on the TARDIS appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Doctor Blu – What Doctor Who Series Are Available on Blu-ray?

Billy Garratt-John 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.

My Doctor Who DVD collection is pretty comprehensive. I own every single classic series release (including the special edition re-releases), the original “volumed” releases of Series 1-4 and a few other odds and ends as well. When it comes to the New Series, I have (shamefully) not gone out of my way to complete the collection, with Series 5-7 absent from my shelves, as well as the 2009 Specials – but that’s for my own dignity rather than anything else (although, BBC Worldwide, if you want to release The Waters of Mars as a standalone episode, I would be very happy indeed).

While the well may have dried on ye olde Digital Versatile Disc front, with the Doctor Who classic series range dragging itself to a halt over a year ago (and hopes dashed on the off-chance that The Underwater Menace would ever see the light of day dashed a few months ago), BBC Worldwide has been investing in seeing the good Doctor reach the High Definition platform, giving us Doctor Who on Blu-ray.

Rather wonderfully, BBC Worldwide has been releasing Series 1-4, individually, on Blu-ray (Series 4 is out at the end of August). Now, this is a very welcome sight as most collectors would know the only way to previously obtain those seasons on ultra-shiny disc was to have shelled out for the blisteringly expensive (and irritatingly titled) “The Complete Box Set“. This rather swanky looking release comprised Series 1-7 in eye-melting HD. As most fans would know, Doctor Who has been filmed in HD since 2009’s Planet of the Dead; a story famous for featuring the stunning textures and mesmerising palettes of beige sand and blue sky. Riveting stuff for the show’s first venture into 1080p, I’m sure you’ll agree.

But it begs the question; what else can the Doctor Who connoisseur get on Blu-ray? Well, as they were all shot in native HD and no up-scaling or digital fiddling was required, Series 5-8 (and their respective Christmas specials, which have been released individually) are all available to buy now and were put out with their standard DVD counterparts. The 2013 …of the Doctor specials are also on sale with Matt’s Smith’s swansong The Time of the Doctor being bundled with his prior festive romps. A stunningly package 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition Blu-ray can be scouted out online, too, which sees Name, Night, Day and Time appear alongside the various special shows we were treated to in 2013, including The Five-ish Doctors.

An Adventure in Space and Time also featured in the previously mentioned set and by itself. Besides that, the only singular releases that exist is the awesome Spearhead from Space – the first and so far only classic release on Blu-ray (with the exception of The Hand of Fear‘s inclusion on the Blu-ray release of the last series of The Sarah Jane Adventures) – and the equality breathtaking Dalek movies; Dr. Who and the Daleks and Daleks – Invasion Earth 2150AD.

Doctor Who‘s spin-offs such as Torchwood and the aforementioned The Sarah Jane Adventures are also knocking around on Blu-ray, but besides that and the odd U.S. imported set (like “The Matt Smith Years“) and various singular (Planet of the Dead), volumed (Series 5 – Volume(s) 1–5) and special edition (steel book case and the like) pieces, that’s your lot.

What other Doctor Who episodes or serials would you like to see on special-ultra-wow-spectacular-Blu-ray disc?

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Steven Moffat Teases Doctor Who Series 9 in SFX

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 the new SFX magazine, showrunner Steven Moffat tells us about Doctor Who Series 9… in his usual, vague manner in order to avoid spoiling anything.

We’ve just updated our Series 9 details page with the key details, but you might be particularly interested in the opener, which we’ll see from September 19th, and the Mark Gatiss episode which is currently in production.

1/2. The Magician’s Apprentice/The Witch’s Familiar (Steven Moffat, directed by Hettie MacDonald)

“This is the opening two-parter. It features lots of Daleks and this time we mean it! Clara receives a mysterious summons and has to team up with Missy to search for the Doctor in a very, very old place.”

9. Untitled (Mark Gatiss, directed by Justin Molotnikov)

“This is a very unique Doctor Who story from Mark Gatiss. It wasn’t possible to do such an episode ten years ago, when the show came back and Mark has been rewriting it over and over again to make it perfect. It’s a beautiful story, very eerie and special, I think it’s going to be an instant classic.”

For the full collection of story hints, see our Doctor Who Series 9 page, and check the new SFX magazine which hits newsstands later this week.

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Gatiss: Sherlock “back to basics” for the Victorian Christmas 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.

Mark Gatiss says it was ‘oddly difficult’ to send Sherlock Holmes back in time to the nineteenth century for the forthcoming special.

“We’ve spent so long successfully modernising it. We had to sort of go back to basics. What we initially did was to come up with modern equivalents for all the Victorian things, so in this we go back to the original. The texting is sending telegrams. We just reverse engineered it to how Conan Doyle did it. It’s essentially our Sherlock as if we’d always done it set in 1895,” he says of the one-off episode, likely to air at Christmas.

Gatiss and series co-creator Steven Moffat had been kicking the idea of a Victorian-set story for some time but it was the availability of the show’s key personnel that made the project come to fruition:

“It’s very, very difficult to get everyone together – and what we realised was that we had an opportunity to do a special when everyone was free. It just became the time to do it. We’re at a particular point in the show which perfectly fits this idea.”

Sherlock fans will be glad to hear that it won’t be too much longer before production gears up on the fourth series, with Gatiss set to start writing and filming to take place in 2016.

Elsewhere in the interview with Radio Times Gatiss talks about why he’s an ever-present on the Sherlock set, promises the special won’t be such a great departure from the series, and explains that some journalists can’t understand why modern tech won’t feature…

New episodes of Sherlock are always a long time coming, but the recently released clip from the special will help keep you going until Christmas.

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