The Doctor does Indiana Jones

First look at the new Doctor’s costume reveals he’s taking his inspiration from the 1950’s college professor look popularised by Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones.

The Official Doctor Who website say…”Filming has begun on the new series of Doctor Who and the first sneak peek of the next Doctor’s costume is revealed today so we can now confirm – he’s looking good! Matt Smith will play the Eleventh Doctor when the new series starts in 2010 and as shooting began he commented, ‘I feel very privileged and proud to be part of this iconic show. The scripts are brilliant and working alongside Karen [Gillan], Steven [Moffat] and the rest of the crew is an inspiration because their work ethic and passion for the show is so admirable. I’m excited about the future and all the brilliant adventures I get to go on as the Doctor.’

When the Doctor returns in 2010 he’ll be dashing across the universe with Amy Pond, played by Karen Gillan. His new costume comprises black boots, dark trousers, a smart shirt and bow tie with a light brown jacket completing the ensemble. It says adventure. It says laid back cool. It says Time Lord chic and we’re loving it!

The choice of clothing for the Doctor is both crucial and high profile. From Tom Baker’s iconic multicoloured scarf to the effortlessly stylish look favoured by David Tennant in his brown suit and flowing coat, the Time Lord’s attire becomes a cultural reference point, as linked to the character as James Bond’s dinner suit or Sherlock Holmes’ deerstalker.

The new series of Doctor Who has begun filming and we’ll be bringing you all the production news as it happens. It promises to be quite a ride!”

Doctor Who and the Cybermen

Anneke Wills reads this thrilling novelisation of a classic Doctor Who adventure, with Cyberman voices by Nicholas Briggs, Doctor Who actor and voice of the Cybermen in the new BBC television series. This story was originally broadcast as The Moonbase.

In the year 2070, a small blue planet caught their attention. They would land on its satellite and, from there, attack, ransack, destroy and finally abandon…The satellite was the Moon. The helpless planet – Earth.Their names? The Cybermen!

“…One by one, their limbs became diseased – they were replaced by plastic and steel! Little by little, their brains tired – computers worked just as well! With metal limbs, they had the strength of ten men. They could live in the airless vacuum of space. They had no heart, no feelings, no emotions, and only one goal – power!”

Can the Doctor defeat an enemy whose threat is almost as great as that of the mighty Daleks?

Anneke Wills, who played the Doctor’s companion Polly in the original Television serial The Moonbase, reads Gerry Davis’s complete and unabridged novelisation, with specially composed music and sound effects.

Available for download now from iTunes and available to purchase through Amazon.

DVD Release – Delta & the Bannermen

It was recently confirmed by DVD company, 2 Entertain, that a brand new Doctor Who DVD is to be released just next month. The DVD is part of the classic series range, and will be an addition to classic seventh Doctor DVD releases; Battlefield, Ghost Light, The Curse of Fenric and Survival. The episode featured on the DVD was shown during November of 1987 when Sylvester McCoy was playing The Doctor. The story, consisting of three episodes, as well as starring the wonderful Sylvester McCoy, stars Bonnie Langford as Melanie Bush, The Doctor’s companion of the 1980’s era. The episode also stars special guests; Don Henderson, Belinda Mayne, Richard Davies, Stubby Kaye, Morgan Deare, David Kinder, Martyn Geraint, Sara Griffiths, Hugh Lloyd, Ken Dodd, Brian Hibbard, Johnny Dennis, Leslie Meadows, Anita Graham, Clive Michael Condon, Richard Mitchley, Tim Scott, Jessica McGough, Amy Osborn, Laura Collins, Carley Joseph, Robin Aspland, Keff McCulloch, Justin Myers, Ralph Samins, Tracey Wilson and Jodie Wilson.

 Delta and The Bannerman is a much loved story taken from the twenty forth season of Doctor Who. It was the one hundred and forty sixth episode of Doctor Who and was thew third story to star Sylvester McCoy as The Doctor. It sees The Doctor and Mel visit a 1959 holiday camp in Wales, but after a trip on a spacebus, a Chimeron queen named Delta also arrives at the campsite. Meanwhile Delta is being persuaded by the evil Gavrok and his Bannerman to commit genocide. This story marks the first appearance of The Doctor’s question mark umbrella, which now has become a popular memory.

The DVD will be sold in a hard classic series DVD case, with the same design as each of the classic series DVDs. The DVD, complete with the total of three twenty five minute episodes plus a host of splendid special features, will be a great addition to any collections of the classic series DVDs and will keep fans occupied with a new story for many nights.

The DVD will be released on 22nd June 2009.

New Companion for Season 5

 After months of speculation and debate, the BBC have announced today that Scottish actress Karen Gillan will be the ‘companion’ in Series 5 of Doctor Who.

Gillan is no stranger to the world of The Doctor as she previously appeared as a ‘Soothsayer’ in last year’s episode, The Fires Of Pompeii. On the prospect of joining Matt Smith the twenty-one year old said, “I am absolutely over the moon at being chosen to play the Doctor’s new companion. The show is such a massive phenomenon that I can’t quite believe I am going to be a part of it. Matt Smith is an incredible actor and it is going to be so much fun to act alongside him – I just can’t wait to get started!”

Incoming showrunner Steven Moffat stated: “We saw some amazing actresses for this part, but when Karen came through the door the game was up. Funny, and clever, and gorgeous, and sexy. Or Scottish, which is the quick way of saying it. A generation of little girls will want to be her. And a generation of little boys will want them to be her too.”

Executive Producer and Head of Drama BBC Wales, Piers Wenger added: “when she auditioned alongside Matt we knew we had something special. It is a partnership that is ready to take on the universe!”

Series 5 of Doctor Who is due to be broadcast in Spring 2010 with filming beginning next month and this announcement squashes all rumours that pop princess Lily Allen will be joining the Doctor on his travels….or does it?

 

Sarah Jane & the Doctor, together again.

The fantastic Sarah jane Adventures has always lacked one thing, a real cross over from Doctor Who of some of the other characters. Well in this “gap year” for the 10th Doctor, Russell T davies has confirmed that David Tennant will make a crossover appearance in a two part story of the third season of The Sarah Jane Adventures.

Russell confirms that it won’t just be a 5 minute grinning appearance at the end, but a full blown participation in the story. He states that it will be a 50% Sarah and 50% Doctor story; both reunited to fight a fearsome foe.

Classic Doctor Who Action Figures

Continuing their release of classic Doctor Who action figures, Character Online are due to release figures of the 1st, 2nd and 6th Doctors in July this year. The sets will comprise of the following:

William Hartnell action figure with Supreme Controller Dalek as featured in the Dalek Invasion of Earth. It has to be noted that I refer to the tv story not the movie version featuring Peter Cushing. The cool thing about this set is that it’s also available in black and white as it would have been seen in 1964 when it was first aired.

The 3rd and 4th sets of colour and black and white figures feature Patrick Troughton and a cyberman from the 1967 story, Tomb of the Cybermen. I’m not 100% certain if this cyberman will be a re-release of the Age of Steel build an collect figures released earlier this year. {Note! I’ve checked, it is a re-release and not a new version!}

These double figure sets are expected to retail around £24.99. Pre orders can be placed at Forbidden Planet‘s website.

Finally a second 6th Doctor is to be relased without his usual harlequin costume. This figure wears a blue costume as featured in the BBC webcast ‘Real Time’, and a few book covers. It’s a toned down version of his normal bright attire, now reproduced as this great action figure.

This now only leaves the 3rd Doctor (Jon Pertwee), the 7th Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) and the 8th Doctor (Paul McGann). Will we have to wait until 2010 for these? Only time will tell.

Arc Attack – Doctor Who Theme

Since strating this blog I’ve brought you the various Doctor Who theme tunes as seen on TV and occasionally performed by others. Never before have I seen the theme tune performed in such an unusual and I have to say, dangerous way. Art or madness, you decide!

Austin’s own ArcAttack plays Texas Rockfest during SXSW. ArcAttack uses a MiKo to power two self-built Tesla coils, that produce “singing lightning bolts” which require no speakers. ArcAttack controls the coils through MIDI, as well as a full drum set controlled by robotic mechanisms. ArcAttack are taking their MiKo on a European tour this summer, 2009. For more information on ArcAttack, visit their website at http://www.arcattack.com.

Calling all would be Doctor Who writers…

For years now most Doctor Who stories that have been shown on television have been novelised at some point. This also includes the stories that no longer exist on film or are missing from the BBC’s film archive.

For some strange reason the BBC have made the decision not to novelise the new stories that have been shown since 2005. Instead they have chosen to commission new stories for their range of books.

I feel sad that they have decided not to release the new series stories in book form as I believe it could introduce The Doctor to a whole new audience.

To this end I am inviting all would be writers to get in touch. There are 57 stories that have so far been shown on British TV, including the latest, Planet of the Dead. You may choose your own story, provided that it hasn’t already been taken by someone else. All stories will feature either the 9th and 10th Doctors and companions featured in that story. The novels should remain faithful to the transmitted script and plot lines. The drama of the writing is then down to you. 

In return for writing the novelised story, I will publish it in hardback book form. You will recieve a free copy.

These books will be fan written, for fans of the show and not for profit. Your friends and family will be able to purchase a copy of your book for the price it costs to produce it. I will donate my own time in producing and designing the cover of the book, to which I will try and remain faithfull to the covers of the books published by the BBC.

If you feel you would like to try your hand (or pen) at novelising one of the stories from the new series, please contact me via this blog.

DVD Release – The Deadly Assassin

Now available to buy at all good DVD stores and websites…price varies!

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