Will Brooks’ 50 Year Diary - watching Doctor Who one episode a day from the very start...

Day Ninety: Airlock (Galaxy 4, Episode Three)

Dear diary,

I've been a good boy with this marathon. I told myself that I'd take it an episode a day, and stick to the era that I'm currently in. That means that since January 1st, the only episodes of Doctor Who that I've watched are the ones you've seen me write about for Doctor Who Online. I caught a 30-second clip of a Colin Baker episode the other day when a friend was watching and it completely there me. Who was this strange man? Why does he call himself 'the Doctor'? And what's with all the colour!

Something that's come along quite nicely for the pace of my marathon is the DVD releases this year. The Reign of Terror came out just about a week before I needed to watch it, and The Aztecs special edition - including today's episode of Galaxy 4 - was out just a couple of weeks ago. The problem is that because I'm being a good boy and not skipping ahead, I've not been able to watch this one! It's only been back in the archive for 18 months, and so the thought that it was sitting on the shelf while I was wading my way through The Space Museum was slowly killing me.

And then, on the day of the DVD's release, my friend Nick Mellish (who's opinion on Doctor Who I'd trust any day of the week. Even if he is wrong about Time of the Daleks. We wrote a whole book about it once) popped up on Facebook: “I've just watched Air Lock! A new-old episode of Doctor Who! Amazing. I mean, sort of: fair to say that the episode and story itself are rather patchy affairs, but it has its moments. Some brilliant stuff hidden in there. But, Will! New Who! A new episode! Let's face it, that's bloody wonderful regardless of quality.”

Now, for me, there's slightly less of a thrill about the episode. As I said the other day, Season Three is my weak area of the Hartnell-era. I've seen bits of it (The War Machines) before, and other bits (The Gunfighters) I've been holding off watching until I finally did a marathon like this. The rest of it just doesn't exist, so I've never sought to find it. That means that many of the episode this season are going to be 'new-old' episodes of Who. Heck, the last two episodes were! And the next several are!

But there's still something special about Airlock. I think it's the magic of knowing that it was sat, unknown, in a collection for years. Waiting patiently to be discovered and reappraised again. It also helps that until a few years ago, with the recovery of a single photograph, we didn't have a clue what the Rills actually looked like! There wasn't any surviving material to show us. Throughout the 80s and 90s, you could only speculate as to what these 'hideous' creatures resembled. And now we've got a whole episode which features them! Sure, they're behind a glass screen, but we get the basic idea.

And I think, on the whole, that's why I'd much rather see at least one episode from every missing story returned, rather than a single full story. Don't get me wrong - I'd love to have a full story come back to the archives, so that we can enjoy it as originally intended from start to finish, but being able to actually see this episode has helped, a bit, to raise my opinion of the story as a whole, just as the surviving Episode Three did during The Crusade.

So! Anyway! The episode itself. My first port-of-call when loading up the DVD was to take a brief look at some of the recon bits from Episodes One and Two. Not the full thing, just snippets here and there. They look great, there's some really effective stuff in there, including the CGI Chumblies which are just adorable. Actually, that's true of the live-action Chumblies in the rest of Episode Three, too. I've long thought that Chumblies are meant to be a little bit naff, this kind of rubbish monster from the start of Season Three which doesn't quite work…

But they're ace! For a start, they've got lights inside them which flash around its body! I'm fairly sure that Peter Purves didn't describe that to me on the narrated soundtrack! They make them look far better than they might have otherwise. And the way they move is smooth and fun, gliding around the Rill's spaceship as they escort Vicki and the Doctor. Of course, it's not entirely flawless - I'm not keen on the way that the top 'dome' wobbles for a while when they come to a halt - but it's better than I'd anticipated.

Really, 'better than I'd anticipated' is a pretty good way to describe many of the things we see here. Catching the tail-end of the second episode on the recon, where the Doctor and Vicki explore the Rill ship, I was thinking how great it would be if the ship could have really looked as good as the backgrounds here, with the metallic frame and the sheets between them… and it does! That's what the ship really looks like throughout Episode Three!

On the whole, there's a lot of excitement associated with this episode, but the story itself still isn't the most fascinating thing in the world. I'm going to take the fair option and ration my excitement at actually seeing some of the story against how much the story itself is grabbing me, giving this episode:

Next Episode: The Exploding Planet

Next Episode: The Exploding Planet 

BBC Books have sent DWO the cover and details for the upcoming Doctor Who book title; Summer Falls.

Synopsis:

“When summer falls, the Lord of Winter will arise...”

In the seaside village of Watchcombe, young Kate is determined to make the most of her last week of summer holiday. But when she discovers a mysterious painting entitled ‘The Lord of Winter’ in a charity shop, it leads her on an adventure she never could have planned. Kate soon realises the old seacape, painted long ago by an eccentric local artist, is actually a puzzle. And with the help of some bizarre new acquaintances – including a museum curator's magical cat, a miserable neighbour, and a lonely boy – she plans on solving it. 

And then, one morning Kate wakes up to a world changed forever. For the Lord of Winter is coming – and Kate has a very important decision to make. 

‘Summer Falls’, a book written by Amelia Williams, is featured at the beginning of episode (The Bells of Saint John) of the new series of Doctor Who. It is being read by Artie, one of the children taken care of by Clara (as played by Jenna-Louise Coleman).

+  Summer Falls is released on 4th April 2013, Priced £1.99.

+  Preorder details will be available here soon.

[Source: BBC Books]

The overnight viewing figures are in for 7.6: The Bells Of Saint John.

The episode achieved a figure of 6.2m viewers, with an audience share of 30%, and Doctor Who was the third most-watched programme for Saturday, winning its time-slot for the evening.

Top Overnights - Saturday 15th September:

1 - 7.2m - Saturday Night Takeaway - ITV1
2 - 6.24m - The Voice - BBC One 
3 - 6.2m - Doctor Who - BBC One

Final BARB ratings will be available within the next 10 days.

+  What did you think of the episode? Rate / Discuss in the DWO Forums!

[Source: Andy Parish]

Episode #285 of the DWO WhoCast, Doctor Who Podcast is Out Now!

In this week's episode of the DWO WhoCast...

Doctor Who returns to our screens in an adventure that sees him travel past (and up) some of London's most notable landmarks to save new companion Clara but has the latest episode been worth the wait?

Dave, Elizabeth and Michelle have a ding dong over The Bells of Saint John before our own Belles (see what we did there) Elizabeth and Michelle travel back to the era of Jon Pertwee to encounter The Daemons.

Listen to Episode #285 of the DWO WhoCast in the player below:

+ Rate / Review the DWO WhoCast on iTunes!
+ Follow the DWO WhoCast on Twitter!
+ Like the DWO WhoCast on Facebook!

[Source: DWO]

Will Brooks’ 50 Year Diary - watching Doctor Who one episode a day from the very start...

Day Eighty-Nine: Trap of Steel (Galaxy 4, Episode Two)

Dear diary,

This isn't likely to be a particularly popular comment, but I don't think that Galaxy 4 is one of the greatest losses among Doctor Who's missing episodes. That's not to say that I'm glad it's missing - I might be enjoying it even more were I able to see it properly - or that I wouldn't want to see more of it returned to the archives, but I'm glad that we've lost this one, as opposed to, say, The Time Meddler.

Yes, yes, I'm sure you can judge from that opening paragraph my feelings towards today's episode. It's that same sense of disappointment that I found myself experiencing during Season Two - It's not that there's anything wrong with the episode, it's all just too bland. The Doctor and Steven get caught in the TARDIS, where bombs are set off outside, but there never feels like any real threat.

Then the pair wander back to the Drahvin spaceship and discuss the poor quality of its design. Then they argue with Maaga a bit, before she takes one of the Doctor's companions hostages, and he goes for another walk. Ooh, exciting.

That's not to say that the episode doesn't have its merits. Steven still proves to be a real boon to the series, and his discussion with the Drahvin soldier, as he tries to convince her to go and get the better gun is fantastic. Steven knows the way that this works, and he's able and willing to play the situation to get the result he needs. It helps to give us a glimpse at his intelligence while painting a picture of the way the Drahvin society works.

I also have to give praise for the scene in which the Doctor and Vicki observe, note, collate, conclude… and then she throws a rock at a Chumblie. It's another example of the series injecting just the right amount of comedy, and I have to admit to laughing out loud when Vicki explained her method to the Doctor. It feels as though Vicki's character has been given a bit more of a rounding out over the last couple of stories again, which is nice to see.

But tomorrow is surely the bigger excitement. An episode of Doctor Who missing from the archives for several decades, and now back in its rightful home, fully restored and out on DVD just in time for me to reach it with this marathon. And just think, it's only a single dawn away!

Next Episode: Airlock

Next Episode: Airlock 

As we begin a new season of Doctor Who, the BBC has teamed up with Intel to create a new mini game – giving away signed Doctor Who goodies and a Sony Ultrabook, along with 100 copies of the new Doctor Who game.

The mini-game celebrates the launch of the Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock game on Intel’s AppUp app centre (known as Knowhow in the UK). All players of the game will also receive 60% off the game.

The Knowhow and AppUp app centres, built for PCs, offer easily-downloadable programs and games – some paid-for and some free – much as the iOS and Google Play stores do for mobile. 

The mini-game and offer are only live until the end of the month, so get clicking!

+  Play Clock Quest at: http://www.doctorwho.tv/clockquest

[Source: Catalysis PR]

The BBC has officially confirmed that David Tennant and Billie Piper will return for the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special.

Filming on the show, which will also star John Hurt (Labyrinth, Merlin, 1984), will start next week.

Tennant's successor, Matt Smith - also in the special with his new assistant played by Jenna-Louise Coleman - says fans "will not be disappointed" by the 3D show, due to air on 23rd November.

Tennant and Piper have long been rumoured to be making a return for the special, which is being written by the show's executive producer and lead writer Steven Moffat.

In January, Billie Piper, appearing on the Graham Norton Show, denied she would be appearing.

"I wasn't asked, no, I think Matt Smith may have said, in passing or in jest, it would be nice. I think maybe he said that and then it became something quite different, but no."

Matt Smith has said the show "manages to pay homage to everything - and look forward. I read it and I clapped at the end. I think it's hilarious, it's epic and it's vast."

Steven Moffat, meanwhile, has said he took special care to protect the secrets of the story.

"One length I've gone to which is a really good security measure - I make sure I don't get a script, because I will lose it, I forbid people to hand me one. It's on my computer under lock and key."

Other casting confirmations this week include Ken Bones as The General, Orlando James as Lord Bentham and Marshall Griffin in an, as yet, untitled role.

[Sources: BBC]

Our friends over at Limiteed have some great treats lined up to celebrate the return of our favourite Time Lord today (30th March 2013).

Their Doctor Who week will feature 5 awesome T-Shirt designs from a number of talented artists and with each one being stylistically different, there's something for everyone.

Not only that, but there will be a chance for Limiteed's Facebook fans to win a free digitally signed poster of the featured day’s design, all they have to do is show the artists some love and like their Facebook pages.

This will be the first of many themed weeks that Limiteed will be running to create a buzz within fandoms alongside movie and game releases and returning series. 

We hope everyone is as excited as us for the return of the series, and will join us in supporting these awesome artists for their excellent designs. Allons-y!

To celebrate 50 years of Doctor Who, Limiteed have given DWO 50 coupon codes to get an awesome 10% discount on their tees, but hurry as once they're gone, they're gone! To take advantage of the offer, simply enter 'DWO10' at the checkout.

+  Check Out the Limiteed website.

[Source: Limiteed]

Will Brooks’ 50 Year Diary - watching Doctor Who one episode a day from the very start...

Day Eighty-Eight: Four Hundred Dawns (Galaxy 4, Episode One)

Dear diary,

A nice shiny new recon of Galaxy 4 came out a couple of weeks back, as a special feature on the new release of The Aztecs DVD, as a place to house the recently-recovered third episode. Unfortunately, the recon on the DVD isn't a full length one, and the rest of the episodes have been cut down. In the interests of doing this marathon properly, I've therefore decided to stick with the audio release of the story - though I did get a nice 5-minute clip of real footage in today's episode…

One of the things I like about the narrated audios is that they allow my mind to wander a little, and take one-or-two liberties with the visual representation of the story. Having come from eighty-seven consecutive days of watching early Doctor Who evolve in its style, anything I'm imagining here isn't wildly different to what I'm used to them achieving in the studio (the planet isn't some far-flung alien visa, for example, with the suns blazing in the sky as though they were made of pure CGI), I am able to forget about any odd technical glitches, such as any damage to the set, or a snippet of boom shadow.

Imagine my surprise, then, when Peter Purves describes the world onto which the TARDIS has landed: 'the ground here is black and smooth'. I've worked in studio TC3 at the BBC Television Centre (may she rest in peace), and so the description of a studio floor was enough to pull me right out of things for a moment! I might not imagine a vast, sprawling landscape, but I might have at least imagined some sand on the ground…

In all, this first episode is something of a come-down from the highs I've had with The Time Meddler. It feels like a hangover from Season Two (which, being made at the end of that production period, I guess it is), and not one of the better examples of the run. There's some nice enough elements, but the whole thing is just a little bland.

The standout has to be the TARDIS crew, who have very quickly settled in, and who I'm liking a lot. The opening scenes here, in which Vicki cuts Steven's hair while the Doctor operates the ship are somewhat reminiscent of the first episode of The Chase, and suggest a team that are settled in with each other.

One of the complaints that I've often read about this story is that it was re-written at the last minute to incorporate Steven instead of Ian and Barbara, and that therefore, many of Babs' lines were relocated to the new arrival. While that may feel like the case in one or two places here, it helps to bed in the idea that Steven is comfortable in the TARDIS, and gives the impression that some time has passed since we left them at the end of the last season. I'd be willing to suggest that they've had one or two adventures together since then.

Steven's sense of sarcasm, which I so praised yesterday, is still in evidence, too, when he discusses Vicki's hair-cutting skills. All in all? A team I'm really enjoying, and I hope it continues through the rest of the story.

The one other thing that I wasn't expecting was a line from Maaga, when she describes her crew as 'products. Inferior products. Grown for a purpose and nothing more.' As soon as she said it, I was reminded of the Flesh from Matt Smith's second season - there's certainly something of a parallel! Are some of the Drahvins grown from the stuff? Assuming nothing comes along to contradict it further down the line, I'm going to be taking this as part of my own personal cannon from now on…

Next Episode: Trap of Steel

Next Episode: Trap of Steel 

Don't forget to 'like' the 50 Year Diary Facebook page ! I'm sure I'll be using it to ask questions etc in relation to the marathon! 

Will Brooks’ 50 Year Diary - watching Doctor Who one episode a day from the very start...

Day Eighty-Seven: Checkmate (The TIme Meddler, Episode Four)

Dear diary,

Ever since watching The Aztecs, I've made a lot of reference to a loose 'arc' that runs through these early stories, particularly in the historicals. For want of a better term, in my mind I've been calling it the 'altering history' arc. At various points since then, I've speculated that what we've been watching in these stories is the First Doctor learning about the way history works, shifting from a view that you cannot change it, to the dawning realisation that, actually, you can.

Where this episode is interesting, then, is in the way it gives a slightly different viewpoint to the whole thing. In The Aztecs, when Barbara tries to change sacrificial ways because she believes a more civilised society can be born, the Doctor is very blunt with her: 'You can't re-write history! Not one line!'. At the time, I said that during this stage, early on in his travels, that's what he believed. Across the following historical stories (and culminating in The Romans, in which he becomes the reason for the great fire of Rome), I've suggested that he's discovering for the first time that history is more malleable than he might have first thought.

Here, though, when talking to a member of his own race for the first time (or, at least, the first time that we have seen, and presumably the first time since he left home, Susan notwithstanding), he describes 'the golden rule of time/space travel' as being that you must 'never, never interfere with the course of history'. It would be far more in keeping with the early Doctor's personality for him to have known this all along, and to only be so blunt with Barbara because he didn't want her to mess around with established events.

Tell her that the rules say she can't alter history, and she may argue that rules are made to be broken. Tell her that she can't, or that it's impossible, and there's less of a debate to be had.

And yet, all of this still allows for a learning curve in the Doctor's case, albeit one which stretches far beyond these first two seasons of the show (but so broadly that it would be difficult to keep track of it after The Time Meddler). By the time that the Doctor reaches his Eighth incarnation in the Big Finish audios, he rips a hole in the Web of Time by saving his companion's life. By the time of The Waters of Mars and his Tenth incarnation, he's learnt that he can - or can at least try - to bend time to his own will.

Once he's regenerated into Matt Smith's incarnation, messing around with time to get the desired effect is all par-for-the-course. This little arc, which I've been following for a few months now, becomes a thread that links all of Doctor Who together, very loosely.

Quite apart from all this 'arc' stuff which I keep retro-actively shoe-horning into the early seasons, this has been another great episode. If anything, it all seemed to be over a little quick. The final confrontation between the Doctor and the Monk took place early on, and then the rest seems to fall to the Saxons and the Viking's battling it out, with the Monk caught in the middle.

That's not to say that there isn't still some good stuff involved - Steven is still proving to be a great companion, and I've taken to him in the way I loved Ian in the early days. I hope the quality of writing for the character stays this high outside of a Dennis Spooner script. He's got a thick vein of sarcasm running through him, which helps to make the character seem all the more real.

The Doctor's joy at having tricked the Monk is fab, and it's great to see the Doctor behaving in this way. Throughout the story, it's felt like the Doctor has finally struck the perfect balance between the dark, sinister character from early Season One and the giggling fool we've seen lot so f in Season Two. Crucially, we've had to say goodbye to Ian and Barbara, who the Doctor himself said were treating him like a doddery old man. Perhaps now we're back to seeing a more 'true' Doctor, though still softened by the time he spent with them?

On the whole, the second season has been a bit of a let down for me. While there were several stand-out episodes, there were far more that really didn't chime with me particularly well. I'm excited to be moving onto the show's third season, though, and seeing what it will bring. Of all the Hartnell seasons, the third is the one I have the least prior exposure to (mostly due to the high number of missing bits!), so there could be anything waiting for me just around the corner…

Next Episode: Four Hundred Dawns

Next Episode: Four Hundred Dawns 

Silva Screen Records have sent DWO the cover and details for the forthcoming Doctor Who Original Soundtrack CD release of The Krotons.

Product Synopsis: 

Originally transmitted in 4 episodes on BBC1 between 28th December 1968 and 18th January 1969, The Krotons starred PATRICK TROUGHTON as the second Doctor. The soundtrack (or “special sounds”) were created by Brian Hodgson and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop: 

“For this story I mainly used the “Crystal Palace”, so called because its case was made of clear Perspex which exposed its workings. This machine, created by our engineer Dave Young, could mechanically sample 16 inputs and combine them into a single output in 4 prearranged patterns. The progression of the patterns was deliberately slow to create textures of sound. I was very much interested in exploring changing aural textures in tracks such as “The Learning Hall” and “Kroton Theme”.” Brian Hodgson, 2012. 

This soundtrack will be released on CD and Digital Download on the 13th of May. A Limited Run of 10″ Vinyl will also be made available, to be released at the end of May.

+  The Krotons Original Television Soundtrack is released on 13th May 2013, priced £10.75 (CD).

+  Preorder this product on Amazon.co.uk for £8.51.

[Source: Silva Screen Records]

Will Brooks’ 50 Year Diary - watching Doctor Who one episode a day from the very start...

Day Eighty-Six: A Battle of Wits (The Time Meddler, Episode Three)

Dear diary,

I don't know if I just didn't notice it during The Crusade and the end of Planet of Giants, or if Douglas Camfield has suddenly stepped up a gear in his direction, but this episode continues to make The Time Meddler the absolute best direction that we've had in Doctor Who to date.

The scene where the Doctor confronts the Monk, with a stick to his back, is simply gorgeous, and the close-ups of the characters feel oddly out of place - the framing of them and the way that the camera cuts from shot, to shot, to shot… it's all far better than I've grown used to. It also has an interesting effect on the Doctor - Hartnell has never looked better in the role than he does here.

There's a shot, as the Monk steps outside for the second time, having been taunted by a ghostly knock to the door, when the Doctor steps up behind him, and fixes him in the back with the end of a branch. The way the Doctor stands, the way he acts, the way he speaks to the Monk… Hartnell performs the scene in a way quite unlike any other performance he's given, and it all really works.

And then there's that final shot, as Vicki and Steven crawl through a concealed door in the crypt and emerge out into the Monk's TARDIS. The way that the camera pulls backwards, the doors opening as the pair step inside. Frankly, there's something a little bit magical about that moment.

The problem is that I know it's coming! The cliffhanger to this episode is one of the more well-known from the programme's original run. It's a justly famous cliffhanger - it's fantastic! - but it means that the impact is slightly lessened for me. Imagine sitting down in 1965, having watched Doctor Who for just under two years, following it from the beginning, and then reaching this moment.

Everything you thought you knew is suddenly being re-written! I wondered just a few days ago at the Doctor's comment that he built the TARDIS. Even as late as that, there's still some indication that the ship is his, and it's the only one in the universe. Now we know otherwise.

I must admit, based on how much I'm enjoying this story so far, I was really worried about this cliffhanger. I was worried that it would just pass me by without feeling at all special, in the way that it rightly should do. Thankfully, a combination of the direction, Maureen O'Brien's performance and the way that the whole thing is handled really comes together to make give the scene a real impact, even if you do know what's coming.

Next Episode: Checkmate

Next Episode: Checkmate 

Will Brooks’ 50 Year Diary - watching Doctor Who one episode a day from the very start...

Day Eighty-Five: The Meddling Monk (The Time Meddler, Episode Two)

Dear diary,

I panicked, after yesterday. The pattern lately seems to be of having a very strong opening episode, and then watching as it slowly goes to pot across the rest of the story. Or, at the very least, watching it revert to just being mediocre. Having come from such a strong episode yesterday (It's not the first '9' I've given to the marathon, but I spent a while debating wether or not to give it a full-on '10'…), I really didn't want to watch this one fall from favour so quick.

Thankfully, it hasn't. Weyhey! A large portion of the credit really must be given to the style and direction of the whole thing. These are - quite simply - the very best sets we've had in the series to date. All of them look fantastic, and the whole thing still has a real filmic quality to it.

The direction is first-rate, with the sad exception of the fight sequence toward the end, which just ends up falling a little flat. The problem with it, though, is that it looks like a fight from early 1960s Doctor Who, when everything around it looks like something far more polished than that.

The thing that struck me most has to be the absence of Hartnell. Not because it's badly covered (quite the opposite, in fact. The tape player just about gets away with it), but because it's only been a few episodes since we last saw him dip out for a week - during The Space Museum. It's not often you get two weeks of in such quick succession!

Perhaps the best thing about his holiday, though, has to be the cliffhanger itself. Coming as soon as it does after his last week away, Steven peering into the cell and suggesting that he thinks the Doctor is asleep, and then Vicki simply staring off-camera while she says the Doctor's name are all very reminiscent of Ian's surprised 'Doctor!' in The Space Museum.

Whereas there, though, we don't get to see what he's looking at (until the following episode, and Hartnell's return to work), here it's revealed that the lack of reply is indeed a lack of the Doctor - he's gone missing! It's a great subversion of my expectations, which helped to really make good use of the Doctor being missing for a bit.

Another subversion of my expectations came in the form of the Saxon who doesn't trust Vicki and Steven. As soon as he started to predict that they would regret letting the pair walk free, I knew they'd end up being framed for something. It was a bit of an eye-rolling moment, then, when Vikings came to assert themselves against the woman of the group (The implication seems to be rape, though that's perhaps a little strong for a Saturday tea-time!), and we're quickly being told that it was the work of 'the travellers'.

So it's fantastic that within a few minutes, they've been cleared of the crime by the woman herself, who comes round long enough to murmur 'Vikings'. I'm never much of a fan of 'the Doctor and his friends have to prove their innocence' in these historical stories, so it's great to see that idea being given a new spin here, too…

Next Episode: A Battle of Wits

Next Episode: A Battle of Wits 

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) have announced nominations for their 2013 Television Craft Awards and Doctor Who has been nominated in two categories.

The Mill have been nominated in the Visual Effects and Graphic Design category for their incredible work on recent episodes and composer Murray Gold is nominated in the Original Television Music category, specifically for his outstanding music for Asylum of the Daleks.

The British Academy Television Craft Awards celebrates the best of TV’s top behind-the-scenes talent and the winners will be announced at a ceremony in London on Sunday 28th April 2013.

[Source: BBC Doctor Who website]

The BBC have released a new promo image and trailer for 7.6: The Bells Of Saint John.

The new image (pictured-right) features The Doctor (Matt Smith) and Clara (Jenna-Louise Coleman) atop a building with a London vista behind them.

7.6: The Bells Of Saint John

The Doctor’s search for Clara Oswald brings him to modern day London, where wifi is everywhere. Humanity lives in a wifi soup, but something dangerous is lurking in the signals, picking off minds and imprisoning them. As Clara becomes the target of this insidious menace, the Doctor races to save her and the world from an ancient enemy.

A new trailer for 7.6: The Bells Of Saint John aired on Saturday, watch it below:

[youtube:Q2FTWhU5TIw]

The BBC have also released a prequel to the episode which you can watch below:

[youtube:2IROtC6cAT4]

Check Out DWO's Guide to Series 7 Part 2, below:

 W = Written By / D = Directed By:

7.6: The Bells Of Saint John - [W: Steven Moffat / D: Colm McCarthy]
7.7: The Rings of Akhaten - [W: Neil Cross / D: Farren Blackburn]
7.8: Cold War - [W: Mark Gatiss / D: Douglas Mackinnon]
7.9: Hide - [W: Neil Cross / D: Jamie Payne]
7.10: Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS - [W: Stephen Thompson / D: Mat King]
7.11: The Crimson Horror - [W: Mark Gatiss / D: Saul Metzstein]
7.12: Nightmare In Silver - [W: Neil Gaiman / D: Stephen Wolfenden] - Updated Title
7.13: The Name Of The Doctor - [W: Steven Moffat / D: Saul Metzstein] - Rumoured Title

+  7.6: The Bells Of Saint John airs on Saturday 30th March on BBC One at 6:15PM.

[Source: BBC]

Radio Times have launched another issue of their popular magazine, sporting a Doctor Who cover, this time to promote Series 7 Part 2.

In this week’s Radio Times – on sale today – Matt Smith responds to recent criticisms that there isn’t enough on-air content planned for the show’s 50th Anniversary and that the show has become too complex for children:

"I think there’s only so much you can shoot. There’s a Christmas special and eight episodes, there’s the 50th anniversary, and on top of that you’ve got Mark Gatiss writing a script [An Adventure in Space and Time about Who’s origins]. There’s only so many you can make each year without compromising the quality.

I think we have to give children more credit. Children are always going to engage with the story in a slightly different way to adults, but I tell you this, I bet you they pay more attention. What are we meant to do? Just dumb everything down?"

Jenna-Louise Coleman speaks about her role as The Doctor's new assistant:

“I’d been doing period dramas for two years [Titanic, Dancing on the Edge] where you’re very still, so working with CGI, working with cameras when you’re constantly running, that’s a new experience. Mine and Matt’s dynamic is challenging. Matt describes it as a dance, but to me it’s such a ping-pongy kind of dynamic.”

She’s confirmed she’ll be in next year’s Doctor Who, but of the latest episodes, The Rings of Akhaten (next week) is her favourite:

“It’s Clara’s first experience of an alien world, realising what life will be like to travel with the Doctor. It’s big and heartfelt, but really funny. An epic episode wonderfully written by Neil Cross [Luther]."

As for scary monsters, wait for the finale:

“It’s a huge surprise, a monster with style.”

Also in this week's issue:

-  FREE Monster Wall-Chart
-  Steven Moffat's Episode Guide

+  Radio Times is out Today, priced £1.60.

+  Buy this issue of Radio Times as well as past issues from CompareTheDalek.com!

[Source: Radio Times]

Will Brooks’ 50 Year Diary - watching Doctor Who one episode a day from the very start...

Day Eighty-Four: The Watcher (The Time Meddler, Episode One)

Dear diary,

For some weeks now, The Time Meddler has felt like something of a Holy Grail. As I've meandered my way through Season Two, finding it to be mostly average-to-poor stories with the odd flash of brilliance, this tale, nestled in the final slot of the series, has seemed like a beacon of shining light.

I mused a few days ago that Ian and Barbara had come to represent everything that I wasn't enjoying about the series, and now is the best time to qualify that statement so that it makes a bit more sense. Everything post-Season Two holds some kind of excitement for me. This story is another vital stage in the arc of altering history. Galaxy 4 has a recently-recovered episode, and the DVD has been sat on my shelf for weeks, now, calling out to me, while I stubbornly refuse to watch before the allotted day in the marathon.

The Myth Makers is hailed as being a rather fantastic tale, and my newfound appreciation for the Daleks means that the idea of a 'twelve-part Dalek epic' seems exciting enough. The only things that was tying me to the middle-of-the-road second season stories were… well… Ian and Barbara.

It's felt like the arrival of Steven would be exactly the thing to kick the series back into gear: a breath of fresh air, sweeping through Doctor Who like a hurricane as it moved everything into a position to be fantastic again. And we start with today's episode which is, let's face it, bloody marvelous.

Yesterday, I talked about the odd way they leave things with Steven, and hoped that they would pick them up properly here. Well the good news is that they not only pick things up properly, but they use the opportunity to create the best opening to an episode that we've had in a long time. In much the same way that The Rescue was used as a chance to re-establish the series post-Susan, the opening to this tale is used to bring us back up to speed again before we continue.

We get mention of the original TARDIS team, Vicki even gives us a recap of what the acronym stands for, and she explains to Steven that the ship can move anywhere in time and space. We're then re-introduced to the idea that it's broken, and thus we never know where we'll be next, and the reasons why it looks like a police telephone box.

And yet, while all this could be incredibly dry stuff for someone like myself, who's enough of a fan of the series as to know all of this stuff like the back of my hand, it's written so perfectly that it never gets dull. Steven is given a wonderful vein of humour to draw from as he encounters all these strange and wonderful new things. (An absolute highlight has to be the Doctor explaining that the ship can change its appearance to look like anything, and agreeing that it would turn into a large rock if it were to land on a beach. Steven then turns to Vicki and exclaims 'You know that large rock over there looks exactly like a police telephone box…').

Quite aside from this, the whole episode looks gorgeous. I spent a little while trying to figure out if it had all been shot on film or if it just looked lovely. The direction is first class and the sets are stunning. There's a moment when two Saxons look over the edge of the cliffs and we see the sky moving above them, and it's flawless. Really impressive stuff.

The only thing I regret is knowing what this story is about. I know that the Monk has lost a wrist-watch. I know that the chanting in the abandoned monastery is coming from a grammar phone. I know that there's a second TARDIS secreted away in 1066. Knowing all of this does take something away from the impact of these reveals, but having come to this story the long way (at the pace of an episode a day) it really does feel fresh, new, and different.

What a great way to start this fabled 'new era' I've been so looking forward to!

Next Episode: The Meddling Monk

Next Episode: The Meddling Monk 

Sony DADC’s interactive development group, LOOT Entertainment, and BBC Worldwide’s Digital Partnerships team have joined forces to bring Doctor Who to life like never before by creating a social gaming and commerce environment inside PlayStation® Home.

Available to more than 31 million PlayStation® Home users across the globe on March 27th, the Doctor Who on PlayStation® Home experience will immerse gamers in the world of Doctor Who by allowing fans to interact with iconic elements, explore and customize environments, and watch content from the popular television series in a social atmosphere.

Doctor Who fans can enjoy dynamic features based on the show’s most popular characters and scenery, such as The Eleventh Doctor and River Song costumes, and a TARDIS- themed private space and clubhouse. Users can also visit the Doctor Who-themed LOOT Space Station Theater for additional video content from BBC Worldwide and shop for Doctor Who items - both virtual and real - via LOOT’s Entertainment on Demand system. 

Simon Houston, Senior Vice President for Digital Development at BBC Worldwide, had the following to say:

“We’re really excited to be bringing this much-loved series to social and virtual worlds. Discovering new ways to engage with our fans is incredibly important to us, especially as we approach Doctor Who’s 50th year.”

David Sterling, Vice President of Business Development at LOOT Entertainment, had the following to say:

“We are committed to preserving the spirit and aesthetic of Doctor Who while introducing this historic franchise to PlayStation® Home. It’s the same Doctor Who millions have loved for almost 50 years—with a virtual, interactive, and social twist.”

In celebration of the series’ 50th Anniversary, additional Doctor Who themed virtual goods, environments and social experiences will be added to Doctor Who on PlayStation® Home throughout 2013.

DWO have acquired the pricing for Doctor Who: Wave One, which is detailed below:

Watch two trailers for Doctor Who: Wave One, below:

[youtube:kUOK1dY3y0A]

[youtube:vQ9aZf-ihEs]

Watch a promo for The Silent costume for Doctor Who: Wave One, below:

[youtube:ym9Ke7WPaZg]

+  Doctor Who: Wave One is released Worldwide on 27th March 2013, priced £11.50.

[Source: BBC Worldwide]

 Day Eighty-Three: The Planet of Decision (The Chase, Episode Six)

Will Brooks’ 50 Year Diary - watching Doctor Who one episode a day from the very start...

Day Eighty-Three: The Planet of Decision (The Chase, Episode Six)

Dear diary,

The Daleks are closing in on our heroes! Trapped in a cave with no means of escape, destined to be exterminated any second! But wait! What's that? A hidden door has swished open, and a strange, huge, metallic creature beacons the time travellers toward it in a barely comprehensible computer language.

As the Doctor, Ian, Barbara, and Vicki crowd in around the robot, the door closes once more as the small space starts to ascend to the city high above them. It's a lift! It's more than that - it's an escape. Freedom, if only briefly, from the Daleks below. They rise higher and higher into the sky…

And all I can think about is how much I wish my Mechanoid toy had a little top bit that went up and down like the one on the screen! I love the Mechanoid toy for the same reason I think the creatures look great on screen here - it's massive. Compared to all the other figures on the shelf, it's a great big lump, and that makes it impressive.

Ten minutes after the episode had finished, while I way laying on my bed, recreating the fight between the Daleks and the Mechanoids (Oh, shush. We all do it), I suddenly noticed that the top bit of the figure does actually lift up and down! Weyhey! I've had this thing sat on the shelf for well over a year, now, and I've never noticed that it does that. How marvellous.

Anyway. Yes. The fight between the Daleks and the Mechanoids. There's a great piece of artwork on Disc Two of the DVD release for The Chase which depicts the battle between the creatures, and it's something of a Photoshop masterpiece. Both sides engulfed in flames, attacking each other. But, actually, it's fairly spot-on for what we get on screen here in 1965!

I often tell myself that I'm not really all that bothered by Doctor Who not being shot on film. I mean, sure, the ITC serials look lovely made that way, but on the whole I've never really noticed the difference all that much. But then we get that first shot here of a Mechanoid trundling into the battle arena, shot at an off-kilter angle, and I wish, Oh, I wish, that Doctor Who always looked this good. It continues for the rest of the battle scene, with close ups of the Dalek Guns, and fast cuts as the battle rages… Frankly, it's stunning. I think I even prefer it to the revolution scene from The Dalek Invasion of Earth.

Oh, but really, this episode belongs to Ian and Barbara. I commented the other day that I was starting to get a bit sick of them, and that I was about ready for them to leave. All of that's still true - I'm excited to be moving onto a new era post-schoolteachers, but that doesn't mean that I won't miss them. The latter third of this episode is a masterclass in how to handle the departure of companions from Doctor Who, and thinking it over, I'm not sure it's ever been bettered.

The way that the Doctor explodes at them when they suggest using the Dalek time capsule to get home is the thing that I've always remembered from watching this scene in the past, but it's so much deeper than that. When the Doctor and Vicki exit the ship, and we see it depart into time and space, Vicki turns back to watch as it goes, staring into the empty space that it's left behind.

But - and this is the best bit - the Doctor doesn't. He stops, looks away. We don't even get a close up of Hartnell here, because it's not needed. The whole point is that the Doctor is trying to not interact with the moment. To pretend it's not happening, because it's too painful to accept. The whole thing is beautiful. And then, following Ian and Barbara's return to Earth, the Doctor watches them on the Time-Space Visualiser, just to make sure that they've made it ok. I'd forgotten that bit, but it's lovely.

The one thing that I did find odd was the way that Steven was handled toward the end of the story. Having seen our heroes escape the city, we watch it destroyed as the Doctor explains that Steven likely hasn't made it out. There's no real moment to mourn him: he's just one of those casualties the TARDIS crew encounter on their travels. I thought this was an strange way to leave it, but then we see him running through the jungle looking for the Doctor - hooray! He did escape!

But that's it. I thought that we'd maybe see a shot of him discovering the TARDIS. Something, at least, to set up his return in the next episode. Ah well, I guess I'll see if it's resolved any better tomorrow…

Next Episode: The Watcher

Episode #284 of the DWO WhoCast, Doctor Who Podcast is Out Now!

In this week's episode of the DWO WhoCast...

UNIT. How does it fit into the story of The Doctor? Is the Brigadier the ultimate companion or is he more than that?

Dave, Elizabeth and Thomas have a good natter, Elizabeth offers her opinion of The Second Doctor eBook The Nameless City and Dave and Dean are intrigued by the third Destiny of the Doctor release Vengeance of the Stones.

Listen to Episode #284 of the DWO WhoCast in the player below:

+ Rate / Review the DWO WhoCast on iTunes!
+ Follow the DWO WhoCast on Twitter!
+ Like the DWO WhoCast on Facebook!

[Source: DWO]

Our friends over at London's Stamp Centre have been in touch with details of their new 50th Anniversary, Doctor Who First Day Covers.

The team have put together a stunning array of First Day Covers, each featuring The Doctor himself alongside his enemies for each incarnation.

All the covers are individually numbered on the reverse and are part of a strictly Limited Edition available both signed and unsigned.

All of the covers will also be postmaked with the Seal of Rassilon, First Day Official handstamp and available signed by luminaries from the shows cast. The Stamp Centre guarantee the authenticity of every signature which is personally signed and not reproduced.

+  For more information and to Order, visit the SciFi Collector website.

[Source: SciFi Collector]

Will Brooks’ 50 Year Diary - watching Doctor Who one episode a day from the very start...

Day Eighty-Two: The Death of Doctor Who (The Chase, Episode Five)

Dear diary,

If I thought it was a shame that they ruined the reveal of Bizarro Doctor yesterday by mixing between shots of Edmund Warwick and William Hartnell, then nothing could have prepared me for today. I still maintain that even though Warwick isn't a great likeness for Hartnell, I could probably suspend my belief enough to accept him as the robot Doctor during this episode.

As it is, by swapping between the two actors for that role… I sort of lost track. Partly because there was more than one occasion when I wasn't sure if it was meant to be the Doctor or Robodoc, and partly because I wasn't trying all that hard to keep track.

Hartnell plays the role of the robot perfectly when he encounters Barbara in the cave - he's sinister and menacing, and it's genuinely un-nerving to see the Doctor being played in this manner. In some ways, it's not all that far removed from the way that he was playing the Doctor in An Unearthly Child. Having since watched him soften into the giggling chap more prominent in the second season, this is really effective.

The issue is, then, that a few moments later, when the Warwick-Doctor pins Barbara down with his cane, it would be a lot more effective to see Hartnell playing the part. Don't get me wrong, it's a pretty dramatic moment as it is, but it could be so much more!

I think it;s in evidence during the confrontation between the real Doctor and his robot double - both halves of the conversation played by Hartnell himself. The effect works much better here, even if you do get the impression of Ian and Barbara watching a game of tennis…

Otherwise, this is just another fairly run-of-the-mill episode of Doctor Who. The design is quite nice (I love the mechanic city), if not outstanding, and the regulars all go about their business as usual. It's odd to see an Episode Five carried almost entirely by our four regular characters, but I think they get away with it - I didn't get the impression that the episode was lagging particularly.

It's interesting to note that the Daleks here aren't played for laughs as they have been elsewhere in the story. Once they've arrived in the jungle, they just go about there business of trying to capture the TARDIS crew (even if they're not very good at it!). In some ways, this is a bit of a shame: they're just sort of there, as opposed to being an interesting part of the narrative.

What I do love, though - and it's happened a few times in this story - is that they refer to the Doctor and his friends as 'the humans'. No attempt is made to correct them. The Daleks at this stage don't know that the Doctor is an alien, and so the programme keeps to that logic! It's a minor thing, but it really works for me. I can't remember if there's a specific point where they discover that he's not quite your average Earthman…

Next Episode: The Planet of Decision

Next Episode: The Planet of Decision 

BBC Television Centre, once home to Doctor Who and countless beloved TV Shows, is saying its final farewell as the BBC brings down the curtain on 53 years of Broadcasting History at the site.

Yesterday, the BBC celebrated the farewell with a gig by evergreen "nutty boys" turned national treasures Madness.

Speaking to DWO, Colin Baker (The 6th Doctor), had the following to say on the closure:

"All I can really add about TC8 is that I have such fond memories of working in those wonderful studios at TV Centre and they are such iconic symbols of the history of British (and world) Television that it it heart breaking to see something trashed that once gone can  never be restored.

As I recall - and correct me if I am wrong - TC1 and TC8 were the biggest studios.  I think I did War and Peace in TC8 and that's where Anthony Hopkins (as Pierre Bezukhov) hurled me (as Anatol Kuragin) across the set.

I know times move on but in America they treasure the old studio sets and preserve them for posterity - sometimes by creating an attraction there that will bring tourists to the site.  In any event, it's a great shame. But this is the organisation of course that has forced hundreds of people to move to Manchester in the name of regionalism and jettison a wonderful facility in the heart of London that is recognised all over the world."

The final programme which will be made at the site will be for a comedy panel show pilot, to be recorded on 29th March.

The premises have been sold for £200m to property developer, Stanhope, and the 14-acre 'fun factory', complete with the infamous doughnut-shaped inner ring, will be turned into a hotel, cinema, restaurants, cafes, a health club and apartments.

In 2015, the BBC will be back at BBC Television Centre, but will only occupy 20% of the redeveloped site with a 'creative hub', which will include leasing three of the biggest TV studios which will be revamped. BBC Worldwide will return to the space previously occupied by BBC News.

DWO have compiled a guide to Doctor Who stories filmed at BBC Television Centre, below:

Television Centre 1

The Wheel in Space, The War Games, Doctor Who and the Silurians, The Ambassadors of Death, The Three Doctors, Planet of the Daleks, The Time Warrior, Planet of the Spiders, The Ark in Space, Genesis of the Daleks, Revenge of the Cybermen, The Brain of Morbius, The Robots of Death, The Talons of Weng-Chiang, The Androids of Tara, Destiny of the Daleks, The Leisure Hive, Castrovalva, Arc of Infinity, Terminus, Enlightenment, The King's Demons, The Two Doctors, Revelation of the Daleks, Mindwarp, Terror of the Vervoids, The Ultimate Foe, Time and the Rani, Paradise Towers, Dragonfire.

Television Centre 3

The Aztecs, The Sensorites, The Daleks' Master Plan, The Wheel in Space, The Dominators, The Mind Robber, Doctor Who and the Silurians, The Ambassadors of Death, Inferno, The Mind of Evil, The Claws of Axos, Colony in Space, The Curse of Peladon, The Mutants, The Time Monster, Frontier in Space, Planet of the Daleks, The Green Death, Robot, The Ark in Space, Planet of Evil, Pyramids of Mars, The Android Invasion, The Brain of Morbius, The Masque of Mandragora, The Deadly Assassin, The Face of Evil, The Sun Makers, Underworld, The Stones of Blood, The Armageddon Factor, Destiny of the Daleks, City of Death, The Horns of Nimon, Shada, The Leisure Hive, Meglos, Full Circle, State of Decay, Warriors' Gate, Logopolis, The Visitation, Black Orchid, The Mysterious Planet, Terror of the Vervoids, Delta and the Bannermen, Dragonfire, The Happiness Patrol, Battlefield, Ghost Light.

Television Centre 4

The Sensorites, The Reign of Terror, Planet of Giants, The Space Museum, The Chase, The Time Meddler, Galaxy Four, Mission to the Unknown, The Gunfighters, The Dominators, The Space Pirates, The War Games, The Ambassadors of Death, The Claws of Axos, Colony in Space, The Dæmons, Day of the Daleks, The Curse of Peladon, The Mutants, The Time Monster, Carnival of Monsters, Frontier in Space, Planet of the Daleks, Invasion of the Dinosaurs, Death to the Daleks, The Monster of Peladon, The Seeds of Doom, The Ribos Operation, The Twin Dilemma, Timelash, Aliens of London.

Television Centre 4A

The Mutants, The Masque of Mandragora.

Television Centre 6

The War Games, Inferno, Terror of the Autons, The Mind of Evil, The Three Doctors, Carnival of Monsters, Planet of the Daleks, The Time Warrior, Invasion of the Dinosaurs, The Monster of Peladon, Planet of the Spiders, Genesis of the Daleks, Planet of Evil, Pyramids of Mars, The Invisible Enemy, Image of the Fendahl, The Sun Makers, The Pirate Planet, The Androids of Tara, The Power of Kroll, City of Death, The Creature from the Pit, Nightmare of Eden, The Horns of Nimon, Full Circle, State of Decay, Warriors' Gate, The Keeper of Traken, Logopolis, Castrovalva, Four to Doomsday, Snakedance, Mawdryn Undead, Terminus, The Five Doctors, Warriors of the Deep, The Awakening, Frontios, Resurrection of the Daleks, Planet of Fire, The Caves of Androzani, Attack of the Cybermen, Vengeance on Varos, The Mark of the Rani, The Two Doctors, The Mysterious Planet, Mindwarp.

Television Centre 7

The Claws of Axos, Robot.

Television Centre 8

The War Games, Doctor Who and the Silurians, Terror of the Autons, Day of the Daleks, The Sea Devils, The Mutants, Invasion of the Dinosaurs, Planet of the Spiders, Genesis of the Daleks, Revenge of the Cybermen, The Android Invasion, The Seeds of Doom, The Hand of Fear, The Deadly Assassin, The Robots of Death, The Talons of Weng-Chiang, The Invasion of Time, Meglos, The Keeper of Traken, Kinda, Earthshock, Time-Flight, Terminus, Resurrection of the Daleks, Planet of Fire, The Twin Dilemma, Timelash, Revelation of the Daleks, Time and the Rani, Paradise Towers, Remembrance of the Daleks, The Happiness Patrol.

Puppet Theatre

The Web of Fear, The Dominators, The Mind Robber, The Curse of Peladon, The Three Doctors, The Ark in Space, Revenge of the Cybermen, Pyramids of Mars.

Presentation Studio B

Terminus.

* In 2013, BBC Television Centre was used for Mark Gatiss' Doctor Who biodrama, 'An Adventure In Space And Time' which will air later in the year.

+ Do you think BBC Television Centre should have been sold off? Vote Now in the DWO Forums!

[Sources: DWO; The Guardian; TARDIS Wikia]

Will Brooks’ 50 Year Diary - watching Doctor Who one episode a day from the very start...

Day Eighty-One: Journey into Terror (The Chase, Episode Four)

Dear diary,

There's a point in this episode, when the Doctor and Ian have discovered the laboratory, and Ian tells the Doctor he's rather not know that's laying in wait under the sheet on the table. “Where's your sense of adventure?” the Doctor asks him. “It died a slow and painful death,” Ian replies.

I've always cited Ian and Barbara as being among my favourite companions - and some of the best examples of companions that Doctor Who has ever produced. However, as anyone who's been following the blog along will have no doubt noticed, I've been less than impressed with the state of the show in its second season that I was with the first.

Sadly, Ian and Barbara have come to represent all that I'm not liking with the programme at the moment. They're the only real thing that's still there from the beginning (the Doctor is enough of a different character now that he may as well be brand new), and the longer they stick around for, the more I'm growing tired of them.

That's not a slight against William Russell or Jacqueline Hill at all, by the way. They both continue to be fantastic, though I'm starting to notice more and more instances of them just sort of coasting through scenes (or, to use another phrase I've been saying about Who this season, they're slipping into auto pilot). I think it started somewhere around The Web Planet, and it's been becoming more and more noticeable as we've gone on.

During Episode Two of The Space Museum, when the pair spent a lot of time arguing with each other - and with Vicki - I said that it felt like a relationship on the rocks, just sticking together out of habit. We get more of that here, when they argue with the Doctor about leaving Vicki behind, and not being able to go back for her. It just feels more-and-more that the time has come for Ian and Barbara to go. By the time they do leave the series, I'll have spent eighty-three days in their company: perhaps just a little too long.

Still, it's great to see their exit already being set up. It's been a good few years since I last saw The Chase, and enough time for me to have assumed that they simply decided to hijack the Daleks' time capsule to get them home in the closing moments of Episode Six. It's nice to see that actually, using the other time machine is an idea introduced here. As with Susan's exit earlier this season, a lot of thought is being given to departures at this stage.

Elsewhere, the haunted house set looks fantastic. I'm not sure how I feel about the idea that it all turns out to have been a fun house exhibit - I wonder if the Doctor's theory that it may be a product of the collective human imagination may be more interesting as a concept. Incidentally, this is the perfect type of story to utilise this setting for - it feels just right to see our regulars exploring a house like this, but I fear it would have grown tiresome after an episode. The appearance of Frankenstein's monster and Dracula are another one of those things that this story gets derided for (and another example of something I was dreading), but they're a great addition.

Plus, the Frankenstein make-up is great!

And then we're onto the robot replica of Doctor Who. You could *almost get away with the resemblance not being the best, if only they didn't cut to a close-up of Hartnell at the very end! Noooo!

Next Episode: The Death of Doctor Who

Shhh. For *this story, that's his name. 

Legendary film Director, and friend to DWO, Peter Jackson, has reignited hope that he may one day direct a Doctor Who episode.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Jackson had the following to say regarding the possibility of directing an upcoming episode:

"They don’t even have to pay me, but I have got my eye on one of those nice new gold-colored Daleks. They must have a spare one (hint, hint).”

EW asked showrunner, Steven Moffat, about the offer, but he declined to comment on whether the Doctor Who budget could accommodate Jackson’s request:

“You’d never get any information like that out of me!” Moffat said, tongue planted in cheek. Speaking more seriously, he was open to the idea of Jackson directing an episode of the show:

“We’re theoretically on board for anything, provided we’ve got a great story.”

Entertainment Weekly are running two collectible Doctor Who covers (pictured-right) for this week's issue, including interviews with Steven Moffat, and essay written by Peter Jackson on his love for Doctor Who, and a guide to all 11 Doctors.

Below is the promo text for the issue:

What is it with legendary British pop culture icons celebrating their fiftieth anniversaries? Who knows — and “Who” is exactly the right word. In 2012 both the Rolling Stones and the Bond movies turned 50 and this year it is the turn of British science fiction show Doctor Who (yes, we know the Doctor is actually much older than 50, but let’s not get into that right now). To mark the occasion, this week’s issue of Entertainment Weekly offers a choice of two collectible covers — one featuring Matt Smith’s Doctor, Jenna Louise-Coleman’s new “companion” Clara, and a Dalek and the other boasting Smith and a Cyberman, who will be among the monsters our time-traveling hero battles in the half-season of eight new Doctor Who shows which BBC America will premiere on March 30 at 8p.m. ET.

That, however, is just the tip of the celebratory Who-berg — the flashing light atop the Doctor’s time- and spacecraft the TARDIS, if you will. For our Doctor Who cover story we visited the show on location in Wales, grilled executive producer Steven Moffat about the upcoming episodes and the 50th anniversary special, which is being broadcast this fall, and luncheoned in Manhattan with Smith. In our Who package you’ll also find a breakdown of all 11 Doctors and, perhaps best of all, an essay by Peter Jackson in which the Lord of the Rings director recounts his Who-love and announces his price for directing an episode. You’ll think the magazine is, well, bigger on the inside…

[Source: Entertainment Weekly]

 Day Eighty: Flight Through Eternity (The Chase, Episode Three)

Will Brooks’ 50 Year Diary - watching Doctor Who one episode a day from the very start...

Day Eighty: Flight Through Eternity (The Chase, Episode Three)

Dear diary,

Let me get this one off my chest before I begin. Last week, I took issue with the fact that Vicki had read about Daleks in her history books, but had never seen an image of one. Let alone the fact that she's still using history books as opposed to reading it on the iPad 9, or having it downloaded to her brain during her hour-a-week studies, it just seemed plain weird.

And yet here, as they gaze out from the top of the Empire State Building, she recognises it as 'Ancient New York'. She knows so because she's seen pictures of it in her history books from before the Daleks destroyed it during their invasion of Earth! Were they just really selective about which pictures they wanted to show in the books?

(I must point out that, while hearing both statements so close together in a marathon format like this is annoying me, there's plenty to love about this. It's great to see them continuing to remind us that Vicki is from the future. She's such a 1960s character at times, it would be very easy to simply forget that she's not contemporary. It's also a lovely touch to add reference to the Dalek invasion - it really just helps to tie things together nicely.)

So! Flight Through Eternity. I'm not gonna lie: it's episodes like this one that I was dreading when I started this story. I mused just a few days ago that after the epic scale that was The Dalek Invasion of Earth, reducing the Daleks to a comic runaround would be more than a little disappointing. Well… I was wrong!

Hah! This episode is brilliant. Say what you want about Morton Dill (and believe me, I've been active in fan circles for long enough to know what people generally say about him!), but that whole sequence is sheer greatness. It's played as comedy - and everyone knows it's played as comedy. It just works. It's also home to what might be my favourite exchange in the series so far - “You're from Earth!” / “No ma'm, I'm from Alabama!”

Plus, it's great to see Peter Purves turning up. I once cast him in a film I made at university, along with Sarah Greene. He's always been a favourite. We'll be seeing a lot more of him before long, so chances are that I'll ruminate on that at some point!

The really interesting thing about this, though, is the Doctor's comment that a piece of the TARDIS operating equipment has 'been in the ship since I constructed it'. That's my bolding on that quote, by the way. Hartnell delivers the line as completely matter-of-fact, as if it's no great surprise.

Now, I know that there's implications in the first story that the TARDIS was the Doctor's own invention (and that Susan came up with the acronym), but it's not often we get such a blatant statement about the ships origins. What's everyone's thoughts on the matter? Did the Doctor build the ship? Does he mean he built that piece of the ship? What's everyone's thoughts? Leave a comment ,or pop on over the the 50 year Diary Facebook Page to share your thoughts…

Next Episode: Journey into Terror

For fans celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who, the 20th Anniversary of the Power Rangers, and all things Pop Culture, Houston, Texas is the destination of choice for the summer “Geek Festival”.

Space City Con 2013 includes hundreds of events, 24 hour programming for 3 days, exapnded to two adjoining hotels, with vendors, artists, authors, media guests, gaming & video-gaming, cosplay, a Masquerade competition, a Klingon Makeover for Charity, the Robotech 2013 Convention Tour, and everything for kids of all ages to enjoy.

Sylvester McCoy, beloved for his role as The 7th Doctor, and also for his quirky Radagast the Brown wizard in the international blockbuster, Peter Jackson's “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”, will be joining a gathering of 5 Power Rangers (Jason David Frank, Steve Cardenas, Catherine Sutherland, Blake Foster, and Karan Ashley, a native Texan like JDF).

Also featured at the show is the new unsolicited pilot project, Star Trek: Renegades, with actors Walter Koenig (Chekov), Tim Russ (Tuvok / Director), Manu Intiraymi (Icheb), J.G. Hertzler (Martok), and the stunning Adrienne Wilkinson (Xena's daughter Eve; Star Wars' Maris Brood) as the newest Starfleet Captain, Lexxa Singh.  

Star Trek: Voyager's Robert Picardo will serve as Master of Ceremonies, giving Houston the distinct  and unique honor of hosting “Two Doctors” - two actors whose characters were simply and grandly, “The Doctor”.

Rounding out the line-up from Star Trek and Stargate, is John de Lancie (Q from Star Trek: The Next Generation) and Stargate: Atlantis commander Torri Higginson. This being Babylon 5's 20th Anniversary as well, Jason Carter will appear with Koenig.

Professional photo ops will be available with restored pieces of the Enterprise-D bridge NewStarship.com project, which is traveling to Houston along with the actual working TARDIS console, complete with sounds and lights, from the 1996 Doctor Who movie which starred Sylvester McCoy. This will be an extremely rare opportunity for fans to have special photos taken with the talent and the set pieces.

+  Space City Con takes place on August 2nd-4th 2013 in Houston; Texas.

+  For further information, check out the Space City Con website.

[Source: Space City Con]

 Day Seventy-Nine: The Death of Time (The Chase, Episode Two)

Will Brooks’ 50 Year Diary - watching Doctor Who one episode a day from the very start...

Day Seventy-Nine: The Death of Time (The Chase, Episode Two)

Dear diary,

This is a tricky one. I've enjoyed today's episode, but at the same time is hasn't done much new or interesting It's the same kind of Doctor-Who-by-numbers that I've complained about a few times during this second season.

And yet, I really have enjoyed it…

The big problem here is that they're simply over stretching themselves. The Aridian costumes aren't great, and I can't even cover for them by attempting my 'squint-at-the-screen' technique. They're just not good costumes. The design is (more-or-less) sound - it's the realisation that falls down.

And speaking of which - the Dalek falling into Ian's trap. I was really looking forward to this. Right from early in the episode, there's some gorgeous shots of the Daleks taken from a low angle, which not only makes them menacing, but shows off just how beautiful the 1960s Daleks really are. The build-up to this pivotal moment, then, still being shot from below as the Doctor and Ian build the trap had me really excited to see the Dalek tumbling down into the pit…

And then it's all done with a shadow, and is over in a matter of seconds. We don't even get a shot of the Dalek shell at the bottom! It's disappointing, because it would have made for a real stand-out moment in this story; especially so soon after The Dalek Invasion of Earth.

It's not all bad, though. The shot of the city collapsing around Ian and Vicki is rather well done, and we get to see a Dalek with an unusual new arm attachment, which looks rather snazzy. While I'm at it - Oi! Character Options! Where's the release of this Dalek? Please? I'd buy one.

I also really enjoyed Ian and the Vicki teasing each other as they try to make their escape ('You fool!' 'You… nit!'), and it's lovely to see the Doctor and Barbara given some time together again. It feels like an age since we last saw them paired together (Was it The Aztecs? No wonder it feels so long…).

So, on the whole, there's a lot to love, but it's got the same problem that much of Season Two seems to have - there's just nothing all that special about it.

Next Episode: Flight Through Eternity

The BBC have released a series of Doctor Who promo images from 7.6: The Bells Of St John.

Check Out DWO's Guide to Series 7 Part 2, below:

 W = Written By / D = Directed By:

7.6: The Bells Of Saint John - [W: Steven Moffat / D: Colm McCarthy]
7.7: The Rings of Akhaten - [W: Neil Cross / D: Farren Blackburn]
7.8: Cold War - [W: Mark Gatiss / D: Douglas Mackinnon]
7.9: Hide - [W: Neil Cross / D: Jamie Payne]
7.10: Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS - [W: Stephen Thompson / D: Mat King]
7.11: The Crimson Horror - [W: Mark Gatiss / D: Saul Metzstein]
7.12: Nightmare In Silver - [W: Neil Gaiman / D: Stephen Wolfenden] - Updated Title
7.13: The Name Of The Doctor - [W: Steven Moffat / D: Saul Metzstein] - Rumoured Title

+  7.6: The Bells Of St John airs on Saturday 30th March on BBC One at 6:15pm.

[Source: BBC]

 Day Seventy-Eight: The Executioners (The Chase, Episode One)

Will Brooks’ 50 Year Diary - watching Doctor Who one episode a day from the very start...

Day Seventy-Eight: The Executioners (The Chase, Episode One)

Dear diary,

I've been dreading this story. But I've been really looking forward to this story. But, then again, I've been dreading it. But really looking forward to it. Dizzy yet? Yeah, me too.

Here's the thing: as you may have guessed from the last month or so, I've not been enjoying Season Two as much as I enjoyed Season One. Once I'd gotten The (surprisingly great) Dalek Invasion of Earth out of the way, everything's been a bit… meh. And then there's The Chase.

This is another one of those stories that's always just sort of been there. I've never loved it, but I've never disliked it. It just sort of exists, keeping the second season going for six weeks. I remember it being quite fun, so I was looking forward to watching that. And then I watched The Dalek Invasion of Earth, and it was epic, and gorgeous, and brilliant. I really loved it, and I'd loved the fact that it brought the Daleks down to real locations and made them gritty.

Suddenly, the thought of a six-week 'romp' through time and space seemed far less appealing. And thus, for a few weeks, I rather put The Chase out of my mind, figuring that I'd just deal with it when I got there and then move on. So, I made my way through The Romans and The Web Planet, and The Crusades , not really looking forward to this comedy Dalek adventure. But then I reached Episode One of The Space Museum.

The Doctor, Ian, Barbara, and Vicki turn a corner and come face-to-face with… a Dalek. And you know what? I was excited. For - I think - the first time since their appearance in Bad Wolf, I was excited by the prospect of the Daleks coming back. Then I had to sit through the three remaining episodes of The Space Museum, before I got a glimpse of a Dalek in front of a rather cheap looking wall. Ooh, thrilling.

Suffice to say, when I got up this morning, I wasn't relishing the prospect of today's episode. Having enjoyed their Earth-bound exploits so much, I was about to find myself subjected to a cheap Dalek story that wouldn't be very good. Bowl of cereal at the ready, I loaded the DVD into the Mac and grudgingly chose the first episode.

And then, I spent twenty-five of the most enjoyable minutes I've ever had watching Doctor Who. I'm not being funny, but this episode is brilliant. I tried to take Rob Shearman's advice yesterday and look for the humour in The Space Museum. There's no looking for humour here - it's holding up great big signs right in front of you!

The Doctor fixes his machine and gets irritated at Vicki's whistling, while Ian reads a book about 'Monsters From Outer-Space', which he declares “a bit far fetched”. I was laughing, out loud, to myself as I watched. That doesn't happen all that often. It's so rare to see the TARDIS crew just kicking back and enjoying themselves.

They go on to watch a bit of the Time Telly, before heading out onto a desert planet, which they treat as the equivalent of a day trip to Brighton. It's all really great fun - it's almost a shame that the Daleks have to turn up and spoil it for them.

Even then, there's plenty of drama, as Ian and Vicki find themselves cornered by a monster in a secret chamber, while the Doctor and Barbara get caught out in a sand storm, losing the TARDIS under the sand itself. The cliffhanger of the Dalek rising from the sand is't as effective as the similar one from earlier in the season, where the creature glides out of the Thames, but it's still rather good - and I love the sound of it struggling to get out of the ground!

The Daleks themselves look as impressive as ever when they're stood around in their control room, and they looks genuinely scary as they pour into their time machine. It's a shame that they didn't have the timings a little more spot-on, to avoid the occasional pauses between creatures making their way inside.

Frankly, I loved it all.

Mind you, I wondered about Ian and Barbara being a couple during The Romans, but he and Vicki here are like a pair of teenagers on a first date to the beach! In some ways, it's quite endearing!

Next Episode: The Death of Time