The overnight ratings are in for 10.3: Thin Ice.

The episode achieved an overnight viewing figure of 3.76m viewers, with a 20.3% audience share, and was the fourth most-watched show on BBC One for the evening.

The final BARB ratings will be confirmed by Monday 8th May, and will include the time shift which will see a much larger rise in the final rating.

Although lower than last week, this rating is still up on Episode 3 from Series 9! 

Viewing Figures for Series 10:
10.1: The Pilot - 4.64m / 24.8% audience share (Overnights) / 6.68m (Final BARB Figure)
10.2: Smile - 4.25m / 22.9% audience share (Overnights).
10.3: Thin Ice - 3.76m / 20.3% audience share (Overnights).

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

[Source: DWO]

At the end of last week's episode, we were desperate to talk about the elephant in the room...quite literally, but as we are prohibited from revealing certain elements of the episodes (as part of our advance preview agreement), it would have given away the ending. Thankfully, by the time you are reading this, we will have seen The Doctor and Bill arrive in historical London at the last of the great Frost Fairs.

This is an episode that feels like Oliver Twist meets The Curse Of The Black Spot, and is as rich in story, character and script as it is in the beautiful setting - and what a setting it is! When we first read the synopsis, it felt like one of Virgin's Doctor Who Missing Adventures books from the 1990's - that's no bad thing at all, in fact, it seemed like one of those stories that read so well that you couldn't imagine there being a budget to allow it on screen. But seeing it on-screen is a delight, and it looks like a BBC period drama with all the trimmings. There are crowd scenes with so much going on that you'll want to pause it to see just how much life and activity there is. This is then juxtaposed with some literally chilling scenes on the Thames where there is just one character, a mist, a threat, and nothing but Murray Gold's eerie score to accompany them.

We get to see more of The Doctor and Bill's dynamic here, and their first proper argument, which feels a little awkward at first, and you begin to wonder if Bill might just pack it all in and demand to go back home. Bill really questions The Doctor - perhaps more than any other companion, and it's so refreshing to see how differently she views situations. The Doctor also comes more to the forefront in this episode with a couple of great speeches, whilst still allowing Bill some room to stand up and take the stage.

As for the main threat in the episode, there's more than just one, but the initial threat is dealt with in a wonderfully Doctor Who way; something lurking beneath the Thames, and it selects its victims with little green lights that swirl around you, underneath the ice, and then....splosh....you're gone! FANTASTIC! 

Writer, Sarah Dollard (Face The Raven), has done a truly fantastic job with Thin Ice; a very different story to her Series 9 offering (which we also loved). There are some bold decisions in the episode; without giving too much away, there's a character that gets pulled under the ice, and you think there may be a chance they'll survive, but Dollard sticks to her guns and it makes for a sad, but rather poignant moment. Whilst there haven't been that many female writers during the show's 52-year history (just 8 at our last count), Sarah Dollard is a prime example of why we need more, and we hope she remains under Chris Chibnall's reign. 

Thin Ice is a textbook historical adventure that, once over, gives you a warm glow. (Except for that bit right at the end...) 

5 Things To Look Out For:

1) “Who's Pete?”
2) The Doctor steals!
3) "I'm 2000 years old, and I have never had the time for the luxury of outrage."
4) The long-awaited return of Search Wise!
5) 3 Knocks...No...4 Knocks!

+  10.3: Thin Ice airs This Saturday at 7:20pm on BBC One.

[Source: DWO]

Even before the wilderness years (1989-1996 & 1996-2005), Doctor Who fanzines have played an important role in the fandom of the show. Often produced in black and white, these periodical mailings were produced by the fans themselves, and contained all sorts of cool creations, from fan fiction, to reviews, articles, interviews, quizzes, artwork and competitions.

Since the emergence of online fandom, and the ability for fans to make their own websites, forums and social groups, fanzines appear to have drastically fallen in their numbers. But does this mean that there is no longer a place for them in our lives? Are fans content with just having Doctor Who Magazine (as awesome as it is)?

Having spoken with fans over the years at conventions and events, it seems that fanzines are still very much an important output, but it is the younger generations that are either unaware they exist or unsure of how to contribute. With this in mind, we wanted to cast a quick spotlight on Doctor Who fanzines and focus on some of the fantastic publications out there, with details on how you can join in, or even start your own!

If this is a completely new area of fandom to you, you may take heart in the knowledge that one particular fan who contributed to fanzines was none other than our 12th Doctor, Peter Capaldi! Below is an excerpt from an article Peter wrote for a fanzine back in 1976:

"Watching the abstracted light forms & patterns which appear in the opening sequence of Dr. Who has become a familiar ritual for all of us. The wonder of the opening is that it manages to capture in only a very few moments of screen time the atmosphere of Dr. Who.”

You can see Peter Capaldi's full page article in the images column to the right!

Of the few fanzines that are still around, the quality is of an incredibly high calibre; take Vworp Vworp!, for example - perhaps one of the most popular of the current wave of fan publications. Their latest issue has been hailed as one of the greatest fanzines in Doctor Who history, and we've heard nothing but positivity surrounding it - it even comes with a FREE full-cast audio play!

DWO got in touch with Vworp Vworp's publisher, Gareth Kavanagh, regarding the importance of fanzines and why they enjoy producing them:

"Originally, fanzines were our own Gutenburg Press. A place for fans to share news, gossip, opinions and thoughts on the show without any filters in place. Well that's before the internet provided a more immediate platform for these, although who can forget some of those lurid DWB news headlines (The AFRO TAPES: THEY EXIST!!!)?  But this in no way means that fanzines no longer have a place. Indeed, despite the net doing news and gossip very well and providing an immediate way for people to vent / gush, it's not as good at considered analysis, depth and opinion. This, really is what we see ourselves as being about with Vworp. Exploring lesser explored niches of Doctor Who; fandom, the comics, art and bringing new perspectives and knowledge to the table.  It's something a printed work can do so much better in my opinion.

The other thing that fanzines can do better is by being a beautiful, gorgeous piece of art. Now we recognise that not everyone has the time or resources Vworp Vworp! has, but I do think taking the time to make it look and feel special is important. It's a point Bryan Talbot made to me when he launched Alice in Sunderland as a beautiful volume at a time when digital downloads of comics were beginning to take off.  By making Alice a gorgeous physical artefact, his reckoning was that there would always be a place in someone's collection for it.  And I think he's right. The same goes for free gifts. The transfers for Vworp Vworp! #1 were an attempt to reconnect with people's ingrained and treasured sense of excitement at getting home with #1 of Doctor Who Weekly in October 1979. That sense of nostalgia is something I feel for all the great fanzines and I hope, in our own small way we've been able to add to that with Weetabix cards and vinyl Century Dalek records."

If you would like to contribute to Vworp Vworp!, you can email them directly at: info@vworpvworp.co.uk

We also got in touch with Jamie Beckwith, features writer for The Terrible Zodin fanzine, who shared his thoughts:

"The Terrible Zodin was trying to juggle an old media format but make it accessible for new media so it's released as a downloadable PDF. TTZ has grown in the 9 years we've been running and gives fans the opportunity to write about the series and showcase their artwork.

We always aim to have something interesting to say and whilst our initial focus was on female fandom as we felt this was an underrepresented voice, we welcome viewpoints from all. We're pleased to say we've had contributors from all over the world, not just the UK, US & Australia but places like Colombia, Poland and Japan. Fanzines are a great way of being creative about the very show which has inspired that creativity."

If you would like to contribute to The Terrible Zodin, you can email them directly at: theterriblezodinezine@yahoo.co.uk

Other fanzines worth checking out are The Tides Of Time, Fish Fingers And Custard & Celestial Toyroom - the longest-running Doctor Who fanzine in the world! You can also keep your eyes peeled for a brand new fanzine called 'Sacred Flame', produced by the London-based LGBT Doctor Who group, The Sisterhood Of Karn. (Thanks to Richard Unwin for the heads-up on that one).

Having run this site for 21 years now, we have seen an incredible amount of creativity from our visitors and followers, and it's clear that Doctor Who is responsible for creating one of the most dedicated fandoms in history. This is a show where anything is possible; a fan writing an article for a fanzine can become The Doctor! Fan artists can see their creations on actual pieces of merchandise. Fan fiction writers can become show runners or writers for the actual TV show - as we say, ANYTHING is possible!

So if you feel you have something to offer, fanzines are one of the best places to start, and we heartily recommend getting in touch with any of the aforementioned publications. Some of you may be interested in starting your own fanzines (we've put a few resources together in the links down below), but if you're struggling getting off the ground, why not get in touch with a Doctor Who group near you (USA groups here), and collaborate with likeminded fans. Come up with a catchy name, and pull together some content from local contributors, and before long you'll be well on your way!

Get in touch!

Are you thinking of starting up a fanzine? If so, we'd love to hear from you in the comments box, below, or in the DWO Forums! Likewise, if you run or recommend a particular fanzine, please also leave details below or in the Forums!

Fanzine Resources:

Doctor Who Image Archive - A fantastic archive of Doctor Who related images.
The Doctor Who Logo Collection - Throup's excellent transparent Doctor Who logos.
Brochure Prints (UK) - a cost-effective fanzine printing service, based in the UK.
Brochure Prints (USA) - a cost-effective fanzine printing service, based in the USA.

[Source: DWO]

 

Having seen what The Doctor and his TARDIS are capable of, Bill is given the choice to go into the future or into the past, as the second episode of Series 10 hits our screens this Saturday.

Having chosen the future, and when asked why by The Doctor, Bill retorts: “Why do you think? I want to see if it’s happy!”, and she is about to see just how happy the human race are (and the cost if you're not).

This episode feels like a cross between The Happiness Patrol and Silence In The Library. The emoji-bots, as we've all come to know them as, have more than one similarity with the Vashta Nerada, and we genuinely thought they were going to be revealed as being behind the events of the story, but the emoji bots are something new to the Doctor Who universe, and we can't help feeling this was perhaps an opportunity missed. That being said, there's still something rather sinister in their cute exterior, coupled with the emoji's they display on their faces.

If you were a fan of Bill's TARDIS observations in episode 1, get ready for some more classic one-liners as she critiques the point of the chairs being so far away from the console, and whether there are seat belts! It's great seeing how differently Bill sees things, and, rather amusingly, how The Doctor reacts.

One of the main stars of this episode is undoubtedly the setting, and the Doctor Who locations team deserve a pat of the back for what they came up with in Smile. The main white structure, coupled with the surrounding wheat fields in contrast with the blue sky, make for a striking visual, and you really feel like this could be a futuristic city in a far off world.

Ralph Little's role was much smaller than we were expecting - he only appears about 10 minutes before the end of the episode, but he does a great job - as does Kaizer Akhtar as Praiseworthy! Mina Anwar is also a little underused; she's so loveable and watchable, and you can't help wanting more screen time with her.

Murray Gold's music features a little more in this episode, and it really helps set the scene and pace, further. Without giving too much away in the scene, there's a great piece of music that plays after The Doctor tells Bill to stay away from his browser history. It's the first piece of music this season that we've got really excited about and it was worth waiting for. There's something quite Classic Who about it in feel, and has a touch of Mark Ayres about it.

This is the second offering from writer, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, and whilst his first episode (In The Forest Of The Night) divided some fans (not sure why - we actually loved it), this episode should have something everyone likes. There's great Doctor / Companion dialogue, and the main plot point was cleverly constructed, albeit slightly rushed at the end - but this feels more of a production decision than a writing decision.

Smile is a great episode that neatly checks the box for futuristic adventure, and is only let down by the speedy resolution at the end.

5 Things To Look Out For:

1) “You don’t steer the TARDIS. You negotiate with it.”
2) Bill refers to Nardole as 'Little Fella'
3) A magic Haddock!
4) There's something in the fertiliser.
5) Patch.

+  10.2: Smile airs This Saturday at 7:20pm on BBC One.

[Source: DWO]

The overnight ratings are in for 10.1: The Pilot.

The episode achieved an overnight viewing figure of 4.64m viewers, with a 24.8% audience share, and was the second most-watched show on BBC One for the evening.

The final BARB ratings will be confirmed on Monday 24th April, and will include the time shift which will see a much larger rise in the final rating.

Overnight Viewing Figure:
4.64m / 24.8% audience share.

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

[Source: DWO]

Going into Series 10 was always going to be a bittersweet situation; there's the excitement of a brand new series, after what feels like an age away from our screens, coupled with the sadness - and reality - that Peter Capaldi will be leaving the show this year. Perhaps, what has made this a particularly bitter pill to swallow, is just how good Capaldi is in this opening episode. He is fully into his groove as The Doctor, and embodies the role with gusto, and you can't help reminding yourself after every little Doctor-y moment, that his days are numbered. Thankfully, we have new companion, Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie), to help distract us from the harsh reality of Capaldi's departure.

'The Pilot' takes Doctor Who back to its basics, and, much like 2005's 'Rose' was a companion-centric episode, Bill has a real chance to shine as she takes up the majority of the screen time in the episode. And just how good is Pearl Mackie as Bill?! She positively shines with energy, attitude, intelligence and...yes...that AMAZING hair! The lump in our throats from Clara's departure is very much still there, but hands-down, Bill Potts will win you over before the end titles roll. There's a heart-breaking scene set at Christmas that is played down wonderfully, allowing you to connect your own dots, but it really gets you in the feels, and Pearl plays it so, so well.

Matt Lucas' Nardole is definitely warming to us and he is fast becoming a character that you're glad to have in moments when The Doctor seems a little too 'alien' to Bill's emotions. There's a rather lovely little scene towards the end of the episode that stands out in particular. 

The episode itself delivers in so many ways, and whilst it may not quite live up to the Series 10 opener, it sets up a new direction, a new companion and a new threat, fantastically. A typical device used by Steven Moffat is to take an everyday object and turn it into something sinister, and The Pilot is no exception. Without wanting to give too much away, there's a puddle that's...well....not *quite* a puddle, leading to some moments within the episode that will genuinely make you jump out of your seat. Oh...and taking a shower will never seem quite so appealing anymore. There's a neat little scene that almost mirror's Rose's descent into the basement in 'Rose', and whilst Bill is very different to Rose, you can't help feeling the connection here. Expect a very different reaction from Bill when she sees the interior of the TARDIS for the first time (rather frustratingly for The Doctor), but it's played out very well indeed, to comic effect.

Those of you expecting an all-out Dalek-filled romp will be disappointed as their appearance is fleeting, but you do get a rather nice cameo from some Classic Series characters who have a certain association with them. The scene that featured in the BBC One companion reveal of 'Pearl Mackie as Bill' does indeed find its way into the episode, albeit an edited version to suit the pacing.

What we are missing most from the episode is Murray Gold's amazing scores. Don't get us wrong, there is some new material here from Gold, mostly connected to Bill Potts, but the music isn't as anthemic as it used to be. For the record we absolutely adore Murray Gold's music for Doctor Who, and there's no denying we've been a little spoiled over the years with so many audible treasures, but the days when 'All The Strange, Strange Creatures' or 'I Am The Doctor' became set pieces that followed through the season, seem to be fading. There is a rousing snippet of the 12th Doctor's 'A Good Man?' theme, but it feels a little shoe-horned in, and what this episode is crying out for is something new and bold to push it above and beyond.

Overall we loved the episode and you definitely feel like you've been on an adventure by the end of it. Things feel renewed and refreshed, which goes hand-in-hand with this show and The Pilot wonderfully, and rather aptly creates a new stepping-on point for anyone wanting to start their own journey into the Doctor Who series.



5 Things To Look Out For:

1) A TARDIS trip to Australia!
2) A jar of Sonic Screwdrivers!
3) A present in the wardrobe.
4) What is The Doctor guarding?
5) "I fatted her!"

+. 10.1: The Pilot airs This Saturday at 7:20pm on BBC One.

[Source: DWO]

During last night's press screening of the Doctor Who Series 10 opening episode 'The Pilot', Steven Moffat teased an "enormous spoiler" in the trailer that precedes it.

Moffat apparently encouraged the audience to close their eyes at a certain point during the Episode Two trailer;

"This is just a public warning... some people hate spoilers and some people love spoilers; and everybody hates me whatever way they think about it. So this is my last attempt in this role to avoid hatred.

At the end of the episode there will be yet another awesome trailer for Doctor Who. At the very end of the trailer there is, frankly, an enormous spoiler, a spoiler that may actually melt your brains. But I promise you, you'd be better off not knowing because - awesome though it will be here - it will be even more awesome in a few weeks' time. So we're gonna give you the option, in our frankly camp and ridiculous way.

There will come up a warning and then there will be a countdown to the spoiler, and then there will be a warning to 'blink now'. If at that point you close your eyes and wait until you hear the cliffhanger noise, you will have a better experience in a few weeks’ time."

So what could this spoiler be?

Well, as the loyal readers among you will know, DWO is a spoiler-free site, but that can't get in the way of a gentle bit of speculation. Now we could be completely way off with this, but we believe the spoiler *may* be centred around The Doctor's granddaughter, Susan [Foreman]... and here's why:

Let's cast our minds back to yesterday, when the Radio Times released an image featuring 13 clues from Series 10. One of the clues (No.3) was a book that Pearl Mackie was holding - a book that anyone who is familiar with the Penguin Classics will know as 'Northanger Abbey'.

What a lot of people don't know is that Jane Austen (the author of the book) originally titled it 'Susan'. Based on the prominent placement in the image, as well as the brief shot of a photo of Susan in a recent clip from the episode, our money is on Susan being the big spoiler.

We could, as we say, be completely wrong, but it's a very exciting prospect if true! There are other possibilities of what the spoiler could be, including a regeneration, another Doctor or even something connected with the Time Lords...

We'd love to hear what you think the spoiler is. Do you agree with us? Do you have another theory? Let us know in the comments box below or in the DWO Forums, by clicking the 'Discuss' button. 

+  Series 10 of Doctor Who airs from Saturday 15th April 2017.

[Sources: DWO; Radio Times; Sean Lassiter]