Last weekend, DWO were kindly invited to take part in the BBC Worldwide Fandom panel at the 2012 RomaFictionFest in Rome.

Conducted by Philip Fleming (Head of Communications, Global Brands, BBC Worldwide), the panel looked at the importance of entertaining and engaging the audience beyond the TV screen, with Doctor Who, Sherlock and Misfits as case studies.

A field of questions were asked to the panel which included Matt Jarvis (Executive Producer Online, Misfits), Francesco Barbarini (Head of Digital, Fox International Channels Italy), Harriet Newby-Hill (Commercial Director for New Brands, BBC Worldwide) and Sebastian J. Brook (Site Editor, Doctor Who Online).

Topics included; The difference between a fan and a super fan, Second Screen Apps, The best ways broadcasters have been able to attract fans and what the motivation is for running a fan site. The floor was then opened up to questions from audience members.

DWO would like to extend our thanks to RomaFictionFest for their unmatched hospitality, and the fantastic Press, Publicity & Comms team at BBC Worldwide.

The majority of the panel can be viewed below:

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[youtube:huxR0tJR5Y0]

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[youtube:R_eHdRh_pSs]

[Source: DWO]

Our friends over at Harkable have sent DWO a rather smashing infographic for Doctor Who Companions.

It's goodbye Amy Pond after Karen Gillan left in the tear-jerking mid-season finale, The Angels Take Manhattan.

But how will Amy be remembered in the pantheon of the best and worst Doctor Who companions? Did she hit the lofty heights of Rose Tyler or Sarah Jane Smith?

Take a look at the amazing infographic to the right and make up your own minds whist learning all there is to know about the Doctor's TARDIS co-travellers...

[Source: Harkable]

We’ve just had a creepy communiqué from our fearsome friends over at GrimmFest, Manchester’s International Festival of Horror and Cult Films. They’d like to remind you all that this year’s festival is almost here, and invite you to join them for a cornucopia of cinematic chills, chaos and carnage. The Festival commences on Wednesday October 3rd at the Plaza Super Cinema in Stockport with a special Preview Night Double bill of the critically-acclaimed chiller SINISTER and the much anticipated AMERICAN MARY, then runs from Thursday 4th to Sunday 7th at the decadently art deco Dancehouse Theatre in Manchester. Even if blood and gore are not your thing, Lord and Lady Grimm inform us, there are a few film screenings in this year’s programme that should have a particular appeal to the Doctor Who Online community. 

The festival’s Opening Night Gala, on Thursday October 4th will be a double bill of London-based horror. First up, there’s the world premiere of COMEDOWN, the gritty new urban slasher movie from Mehnaj Huda, director of KIDULTHOOD, which marked the feature film screenwriting debut of Mickey Smith himself, Noel Clarke. Mehnaj will be there for a Q&A following the screening.

Second on the bill will be the riotous geezer gorefest COCKNEYS VS ZOMBIES, starring such genre-familiar faces as Richard Briers, Honor Blackman, Dudley Sutton, Alan Ford, Harry Treadaway, and sometime Eastender and Bionic Woman, Michelle Ryan, who also got to show off her Lara Croft chops as aristocratic cat burglar Lady Christina De Souza in the “Planet of The Dead” episode of DOCTOR WHO. COCKNEYS VS ZOMBIES, is written by James Moran, a rising star of British horror cinema, responsible for both TOWER BLOCK and SEVERANCE, as well as the forthcoming SILENT NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, which teams up gore sfx guru and horror legend Tom Savini, The League of Gentlemen’s Reece Sheersmith, and one of the leading figures in the new wave of US independent horror cinema, character actor AJ Bowen (House of the Devil, A Horrible Way To Die, etc). But James is equally well known for his TV writing. He wrote the classic “Fires of Pompeii” episode of DOCTOR WHO, which marked the first appearance of Karen Gillan in the show as a Roman Soothsayer - presumably a distant ancestor of Amy Pond’s - and the “Sleeper” episode of TORCHWOOD, featuring Nikki Amuka-Bird as a tormented “sleeper” agent from an alien invasion force. He was also co-writer of the 5-part TORCHWOOD: CHILDREN OF EARTH mini-series.  James will be attending the screening, so this will be a fine opportunity to pick his brains about his writing career and the various projects he’s worked on. 

There’s more WHO-connected horror on Sunday October 7th, in the festival’s closing film, STITCHES, a bloody black comedy in which a killer clown comes back from the dead to avenge himself. The film stars lugubrious Geordie comic Ross Noble, whose deadpan delivery has dominated many an episode of HAVE I GOT NEWS FOR YOU, and Tommy Knight, who follows his droll and oddly touching performance as Sarah-Jane Smith’s otherworldly adopted son Luke with something rather darker. Ross and Tommy will be there, along with the film’s director and co-writer Conor McMahon for what promises to be an entertaining and informative Q&A.

Both screenings will be followed by aftershow parties, too, so there will be a chance to mingle. In short, it’s a hell of an opportunity to see some fearsome features, meet some creepy celebrities, and discover some of the darker places in the universe. The Grimm Team are waiting for you. Don’t you dare disappoint them, now...

[Source: GrimmFest]

Publisher: I.B. Tauris

Written By: Graham Sleight

RRP: £12.99

Release Date: 30th August 2012

Reviewed by: Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 28th September 2012

Although not an official release from the BBC, Graham Sleight's 'The Doctor's Monsters' deserves all the accolade and respect that the aforementioned corporation gets with their own titles.

The book serves as a dedicated guide to some of the monsters featured in Doctor Who, together with a glossary containing (as far as we could see) every monster ever to have appeared in the show.

It is clear from both the incredibly detailed and well-researched biographies, through to Sleight's narrative, that this is a book for fans by fans - and it is all the better for it.

Together with an introduction from Doctor Who Writer / Author; Paul Cornell, that sums up what to expect in the book perfectly, you can't help but feel just how tidy and concise 'The Doctor's Monsters' is.

Let's hope this is the beginning of what will hopefully grow to be a library of guides from Sleight and I.B. Tauris. Essential reading!

+  The Doctor's Monsters is available now via the I.B. Tauris, Who Watching website.

+  Follow Who Watching on Twitter.

There have been a handful of last minute guest announcements for the Entertainment Media Show, including the wonderful Matt Smith from Doctor Who!

Our friends at Showmasters have also announced James Cosmo from Game of Thrones, Highlander and Sons of Anarchy, Vaughn Armstrong of Star Trek fame, the great British actor Joss Ackland, and Anime voice artist Vic Mignogna amongst others.

Photo shoot tickets are now available on the online shop, and for Matt Smith they have also added autograph tickets which can be bought now online with tickets exchanged for an in-person autograph on the day.

The online shop closes for UK orders this Saturday, however tickets will still be available to buy at the event. The online shop can be found here.

And for those of you who can't make the event but still want autographs, Showmasters have a pre-order service. You can find more details on the pre-order website here.

Convention Details:

The Entertainment Media Show
6th-7th October 2012
Olympia Grand Hall; London; UK

Early entry from 9am - £12 (all ages).

Standard entry from 11am - £6 adults, £3 children (aged 12 and under).

Under 4s go free when accompanied by a paying adult.

Doors open: 9am to 6pm both days. Last admission 5.30pm.

[Source: Showmasters]

Forbidden Planet have teamed up with Character Options for another Exclusive Doctor Who Toy.

The Three Doctor's Collector's Set features Jo Grant, The Brigadier and a Gel Guard, as featured in the 3rd Doctor adventure; The Three Doctors.

A gel-like plasma creature arrives on Earth and hunts down the third Doctor, who calls on the Time Lords for help. The Time Lords themselves are in crisis as their energy is being drawn off into a black hole. They send the Doctor’s earlier selves to join him.

The first Doctor, caught in a time eddy and able only to advise, deduces that the creature is a time bridge. The third Doctor and Jo then give themselves up to it and are transported to a world of antimatter beyond the black hole.

On Earth, the second Doctor is forced to take refuge in the TARDIS along with the Brigadier and Sergeant Benton. On the advice of the first Doctor he switches off the ship’s force field, and the whole UNIT building is transported through the black hole.

Behind these events is Omega, a figure from Time Lord history whose solar engineering provided the power for time travel. He has been trapped in the black hole ever since and now wants the Doctor to swap places with him, but it transpires that the corrosive properties of his domain have already destroyed his physical form, leaving only his will.

Contents:

-  The Brigadier In Peaked Cap with Pistol.
-  Jo Grant (with alternate arms and removable gilt).
-  Gel Guard.

+  The Three Doctors Collector's Set is released on 3rd January 2013, priced £26.99.

+  Preorder this product from Forbidden Planet!

[Source: Forbidden Planet]

The final BARB viewing figures are in for 7.3: A Town Called Mercy.

The episode achieved a final rating of 8.42m viewers - a shift of +1.8m , with an total audience share of 33.4%.

The figures include recordings of the episodes within 7 days of transmission, but not BBC iPlayer viewings and downloads.

Overnight Rating:
6.6m / 29.1% audience share.

AI Score:
85

Time Shift:
+1.8m 

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

[Source: Andy Parish]

The overnight viewing figures are in for 7.4: The Power of Three.

The episode achieved a figure of 5.5m viewers, with an audience share of 25.6%, and Doctor Who was the second most-watched programme for Saturday, winning its time-slot for the evening.

Top Overnights - Saturday 15th September:

1 - 8.2m - (35.7%) - The X Factor - 20:15 - ITV1
2 - 5.5m - (25.6%) - Doctor Who - 19:30 - BBC One
3 - 4.0m - (17.7%) - Casualty - 21:15 - 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]

The overnight viewing figures are in for 7.3: A Town Called Mercy.

The episode achieved a figure of 6.6m viewers, with an audience share of 29.1%, and Doctor Who was the third most-watched programme for Saturday, winning its time-slot for the evening.

Top Overnights - Saturday 15th September:

1 - 8.6m - (38.3%) - The X Factor - 20:15 - ITV1
2 - 8.0m - (40.2%) - Strictly Come Dancing - 18:30 - BBC One
3 - 6.6m - (29.1%) - Doctor Who - 19:30 - 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]

Forbidden Planet have teamed up with Character Options for another Exclusive Doctor Who Toy.

The Pyramids of Mars Collector's Set features Sutekh with 2 Robot Mummy Action Figures.

In this fourth Doctor adventure, the TARDIS materialises on Earth in the year 1911 inside an old priory owned by Egyptologist Marcus Scarman. Scarman has been possessed by Sutekh, last survivor of the god-like Osirans, who is held prisoner under a pyramid in Egypt by a signal transmitted from one on Mars. Sutekh desires his freedom and instructs Scarman to construct servicer robots - which look like Egyptian mummies - to build a missile with which to destroy the Martian pyramid. The Doctor foils this plan by blowing up the missile.

He then falls under Sutekh’s control himself and is made to transport Scarman to Mars in the TARDIS. Scarman cuts off the signal but the Doctor, now freed of Sutekh’s influence, realises that there will be a short delay before it stops, rushes back and uses the time control from the TARDIS to move the end of Sutekh’s space-time tunnel into the far future. Sutekh, travelling down the tunnel, is unable to reach the end in his lifetime, and dies.

Contents:

1 x Sutekh with jackal head action figure.
2 x Mars Guardian Robot Mummy action figures.

+  The Pyramids of Mars Collector's Set is released on 18th September 2012, priced £19.99.

+  Preorder this product from Forbidden Planet!

[Source: Forbidden Planet]

The overnight viewing figures are in for 7.2: Dinosaurs on a Spaceship.

The episode achieved a figure of 5.5m viewers, with an audience share of 26.2%, and Doctor Who was the second most-watched programme for Saturday, winning its time-slot for the evening.

Top Overnights - Saturday 1st September:

1 - 7.7m - (TBA%) - The X Factor - 20:10 - ITV1
2 - 5.5m - (29.3%) - Doctor Who - 19:35 - BBC One
3 - 3.3m - (TBA%) - Red or Black? - 19:25 - ITV1

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]

It’s been an exciting couple of years for our friend Oliver McNeil over at www.legend-photography.com, not only has he managed to get both sci-fi icons, Tom Baker and Blake’s 7's Paul Darrow to agree to appear in the special one off stage show 'Tales of Mystery & Terror' (12th October 2012, The Stable Theatre, Hastings, East Sussex) but he has, along with both of these iconic actors, worked along side them to produce some very special exclusive portraits. 

Tom Baker first came across Oliver’s unique fantasy portrait service, two years ago when he was shown some of this work by a close friend. Not knowing the he was also a huge Doctor Who fan, even having built his own TARDIS for outside his studio, the two of them started to work on some new portraits in preparation for the 50th anniversary.  Since then they have become quite chummy, which led to the collaboration in this stage show. 

“It’s going to be an unique evening themed around a Victorian spiritualist show. We have Tom reading an never heard self penned story and Paul Darrow performing a Edgar Alan Poe tale. We also have magic by Richard Bellars and music. I’m not sure the last time Tom acted on stage, but he’s really looking forward to it. It’s fantastic to also get Paul Darrow, He’s a wonderful story teller we are looking to do a special lunch with him for those who book early. It also comes at time when we might be seeing a new version of B7 coming back to our screens.

The second half of the show will be a Q&A with Tom, with myself and fellow organiser Steve Corke asking “interesting” questions. It’s not going to be like any other Q&A you have seen before”  warned Oliver.

Legend Photography’s story is an interesting one in itself. Formed 10 years, Oliver who comes from a theatre & film background, started shooting fantasy themed portraits for the general public. Using mostly props, costumes and practical lighting effects he quickly became a leader in his field, with many celebrity clients and many people traveling and diverting holidays just to have one of his portraits. Winner of a Brian Froud and bizarrely a RHS design award, Oliver now offers vampires and mermaids amongst his sessions of magical Fairy, wizard & knight images. 

Whats next for Legend Photography, Tom Baker and Paul Darrow, well with so much planned for next year it would be silly not to keep an eye out.

To get news on the 'Tales of Mystery & Horror' and any other collaboration, you can follow Oliver https://twitter.com/Legend_Studios or http://www.facebook.com/TomBakerPortraits.

[Source: DWO]

The BBC have released a number of promotional pictures for this week's episode of Doctor Who; 7.2: Dinosaurs on a Spaceship.

+  7.2: Dinosaurs on a Spaceship will air on Saturday 8th September at 7:35pm on BBC One.

+  Read DWO's Spoiler-Free Preview for this story, here.

[Source: BBC Pictures]

Doctor Who has scooped up a 2012 Hugo award for 6.4: The Doctor's Wife.

The episode was nominated and won the 'Best Dramatic Presentation: Short Form' category for the Series 6 episode, written by Neil Gaiman and directed by Richard Clark.

According to reports, during his acceptance speech for the Hugo Award, Neil Gaiman confirmed he is writing another Doctor Who script stating:

"Only a fool or a mad man would try to do it again...so I'm on the third draft."

It is still unclear whether this will form part of the second half of Series 7 or a later set of episodes.

Also picking up an award in the 'Best Fancast' category was Doctor Who Writer and Author, Paul Cornell for the SF Squeecast.

The 2012 Hugo Awards were presented at Chicon 7; the 70th World Science Fiction Convention, and was held at Chicago's Hyatt Regency.

[Source: Worldcon]

The overnight viewing figures are in for 7.1: Asylum of the Daleks.

The episode achieved a figure of 6.4m viewers, with an audience share of 29.3%, and Doctor Who was the second most-watched programme for Saturday, winning its time-slot for the evening.

Top Overnights - Saturday 1st September:

1 - 8.6m - (36.8%) - The X Factor - 20:10 - ITV1
2 - 6.4m - (29.3%) - Doctor Who - 19:20 - BBC One
3 - 4.2m - (TBA%) - Casualty - 21:00 - 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]

DWO have seen 7.2: Dinosaurs on a Spaceship and have put our spoiler-free preview together:

When Steven Moffat referred to this new series as "filmic" and "like standalone movies", it's difficult to think how such a thing would be possible with the restriction of a 45-minute time-slot - not to mention BBC budgets, but the Doctor Who team being who they are, only went and did it - in spades!

Dinosaurs on a Spaceship sees us travel from Egypt 1334 B.C. to Earth 2367 A.D. and then back in time to the African Plains of 1902 A.D., before we're brought crashing back down to the mundanity of real life in the Pond household. And that's all before the title sequence!

Sure, there's a lot crammed into this 45-minute episode, but rather cleverly (and miraculously) it doesn't feel cluttered or rushed. The Doctor has a total of 5 companions with him on this particular outing (not all of them are willing), and it leads to a surprisingly refreshing gear change that, on paper, shouldn't work, but to watch on screen is thoroughly entertaining.

The idea that The Doctor can pick up a companion of his choosing, anywhere in time and space is really quite fun and explored rather mischievously here - especially when they turn out to be Queen Nefertiti (Riaan Steele) and big-game hunter, John Riddell (Rupert Graves). An odd pairing, but one that works all the same - and with dinosaurs abound, The Doctor is going to need all the help he can get!

We mustn't forget Amy and Rory, though! There's plenty of Pond action for you to be getting on with. Amy in particular comes forward and shows off some of the skills she has learnt from her time travelling with The Doctor. Rory feels a little underused, however, which is a shame considering the momentum of his character development in recent episodes.

Together with a particularly unlikable villain (played by the wonderful David Bradley of Harry Potter fame) as well as two equally unlikeable (though slightly irritating) robot servants (voiced by comedians David Mitchell and Robert Webb), Dinosaurs on a Spaceship is incredibly well-rounded.

But lets get to the bit everyone wants to hear about, The Dinosaurs!!! Firstly, they are fantastically well done. The CGI shots are of the highest calibre (kudos to The Mill) and the model shots are so realistic, they give Spielberg's Jurassic Park a run for its money. Speaking of which, there are a couple of obligatory nods to the aforementioned movie, with Murray Gold's awesome score feeling quite John Williams-esque in places.

Writer, Chris Chibnall, has to be commended for this script. It would have been so easy to get carried away with the concept of throwing Dinosaurs into a Doctor Who story, but they're not overused. Everything and, more importantly, everyone, fits together nicely. Action-packed would be a bit of an understatement for this episode, and when you throw the words 'Doctor', 'Triceratops' and 'Golf Ball' together…well…just wait and see!

Five things to look out for...

1) Were introduced to another member of the Pond family (or should that be Williams).

2) It's been 10 Months since the events of Asylum of the Daleks.

3) The Doctor has a gang now!

4) The Doctor still has a Christmas List!

5) "Doctor, after all this time…"

[Source: Doctor Who Online]

The BBC Doctor Who Website have uploaded the final part (Part 5) of the Pond Life mini-series which can be viewed below:

[youtube:SxXAY7LyjcM]

+  Asylum of the Daleks airs at 7:20pm on BBC One on Saturday 1st September.

[Source: BBC Doctor Who Website]

The BBC Doctor Who Website have uploaded Part 4 of the Pond Life mini-series which can be viewed below:

[youtube:Ikv0QbubV7Y]

+  Part 5 will be available from Midday on Friday 31st August.

[Source: BBC Doctor Who Website]

The BBC have released more promotional poster images for the first half of Series 7 of Doctor Who:

+  7.1: Asylum of the Daleks airs this Saturday at 7:20pm on BBC One.

[Source: BBC Pictures]

DWO have been sent the first glimpse of Sylvester McCoy (The 7th Doctor) as 'Radagast the Brown' in the upcoming The Hobbit movie.

The image (pictured-right), comes from The Hobbit 2013 Calendar, and features McCoy as the brown wizard.

Below is the official synopsis for the movie:

The Hobbit follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakensheild. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers.

Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever … Gollum.

Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities … A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.

+  The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is in cinemas from 14th December 2012.

[Source: Paul Lockwood]

The BBC Doctor Who Website have uploaded Part 3 of the Pond Life mini-series which can be viewed below:

[youtube:Pm0dqb7rKpk]

+  Part 4 will be available from Midday on Thursday 30th August.

[Source: BBC Doctor Who Website]

The BBC Doctor Who Website have uploaded Part 2 of the Pond Life mini-series which can be viewed below:

[youtube:fQZc9DzneUI]

+  Part 3 will be available from Midday on Wednesday 29th August.

[Source: BBC Doctor Who Website]

Radio Times have launched another issue of their popular magazine, sporting a Doctor Who cover, this time to promote Asylum of the Daleks.

In the new issue of Radio Times, on sale from today, there are interviews with Karen Gillan, Matt Smith and Arthur Darvill, plus an episode guide by Steven Moffat.

Talking about the new companion, Karen Gillan says:

“I’ve met Jenna and we get on really well. And I’ve been texting her bits and bobs about Matt, but what I wrote is a secret. That’s the code of the companion. I didn’t offer her any advice though because I want her to have the experience for herself. I didn’t want to plant any preconceptions in her head.”

On the Doctor’s 50th anniversary next year, Matt Smith says:

“We want to make it as big and bold and as brilliant as we can because, we hope, it can be one of the monumental bits of TV history. But I doubt there’ll be a regeneration…”

+  Radio Times is out Today, priced £1.40.

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

[Source: Radio Times]

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: James Goss

RRP: £8.99

Release Date: 31st July 2012

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 22nd August 2012

Zoe Herriot is still a prisoner. The mysterious Company are determined to break the conditioning that has been placed upon her by the Time Lords. Her integrator, Jen, has more evidence to prove that Zoe travelled in time with that strange man called The Doctor.

Through her questions, Zoe begins to recall a journey to Earth in the past. She remembers attending the funeral of a young woman called Meg, a physicist who died in an experiment gone wrong. The Doctor, Jamie and Zoe discover that her experiments have brought forth mysterious creatures into our reality.

As Zoe struggles to recall what happened, it will soon become clear that time is running out for her as The Company are growing impatient for results.

The Uncertainty Principle is a sequel to Simon Guerrier’s play The Memory Cheats, which was itself a sequel to Echoes of Grey. Both the central characters of Zoe and Jen return and it is the continuity that makes this release particularly interesting. The Company’s efforts to break through Zoe’s memory block are ramped up further with the knowledge that her life is now at stake. What made The Memory Cheats such an interesting play seems to be lacking in this release. It seems to be more because of the story that Zoe recalls as opposed to her interaction with Jen.

The main story itself is intriguing but is missing the darkness that the previous instalment had. There is some interesting development of Zoe’s character as her logical attitude is put to the test as she unwittingly falls for a young man called Archie, a character central to the main story. To hear Zoe struggling with emotion, which is almost an alien concept to her, is interesting, but I found the story, at times, to be a little pedestrian.

Where the play is really at its best is the interrogation scenes with Jen, played once again by Wendy Padbury’s daughter Charlie Hayes. Both actors give excellent performances and Guerrier drops some very intriguing character development for Jen as we discover more about her own life.

After the distrust which was central to the previous play, we begin to see these characters find some common ground as the situation with The Company begins to intensify. The conclusion promises more from this ongoing story and it will be fascinating to see where Guerrier takes these two characters next time.

The Uncertainty Principle is a not a strong audio play but it is intriguing enough to warrant a further release in this interesting story arc for Zoe.

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: Matt Fitton

RRP: £14.99 (CD) / £12.99 (Download)

Release Date: 31st August 2012

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 27th August 2012

Ace and Hex have just suffered severe mental and psychical torture. Caught in one of The Doctor’s schemes they just barely survived the wrath of Elder Gods. Finally escaping into a now black coloured TARDIS they discover that they are not alone. Inside is former Forge operative Lysandra Astrides and soldier Sally Morgan. 

Both of these women have encountered The Doctor and now claim to have been travelling with him for some months. Confused and seemingly thrown together by design, all of them will have to get past their mutual distrust of one another in the search for The Doctor. By a twist of fate the travellers are separated, arriving in the past and future of one man whose story and name will pass into legend as will the name of the monster he vanquishes. Does the true story about Beowulf and Grendel have any clues to The Doctor’s whereabouts and will the missing Time Lord’s carefully laid plans fall apart at the seams?

Black and White is a story that requires prior knowledge of the last couple of years of Seventh Doctor stories. It is here that the various plot threads that have been littered throughout finally begin to come together. Through the use of flashbacks Matt Fitton does an admirable job of reminding us of all these little clues for anyone coming to this fresh. Your enjoyment of the play however will be increased with an awareness of what has gone on before. 

Black and White is a difficult story to review as a more in-depth examination would give away far too much. In keeping with Doctor Who Online’s spoiler-free policy I will not go into too much detail about what happens except to address some key points.

The Black and White TARDIS plot thread is finally given clarity which reveals some rather fascinating revelations about past adventures and the nature of the TARDIS is general. We get hints as to where this trilogy is heading and it is all strongly linked to adventures gone by. Listening to Black and White makes you want to re-listen to all of the last few Seventh Doctor plays just to see how long this whole plotline has been gestating. 

Not all the answers are given here though as I’m sure all will be fully revealed in the final play of the trilogy Gods and Monsters. Black and White certainly ramps up the excitement for that particular release.

In amongst the revelations is the story of Beowulf and the reality of the how the legend came to be. The difficulty with Black and White is to make room for the lead plot exposition but allow its other story to develop and breathe and it is a credit to Matt Fitton that it does. This story about the reality of the legend of Beowulf could easily have been an adventure in its own right, but as will become clear when you listen carefully; it is linked to the bigger plot going on. Black and White is very entertaining and moves along at a cracking pace thanks to excellent direction by Ken Bentley.

The performances from the main cast are fantastic. It is a real joy to hear Maggie O’Neill and Amy Pemberton as their characters from previous stories Project: Destiny and House of Blue Fire now interacting with our familiar TARDIS crew. Philip Olivier and Sophie Aldred work alongside these new team members really well and there is enough distrust and suspicion to keep the character dynamic always interesting. 

The supporting cast is very strong too - the highlight being Stuart Milligan as Garundel, a character who sounds like a camp and bitchy Billy Crystal. Milligan gives a very funny and memorable performance and it certainly does put a unique twist on the Beowulf legend. 

While not always perfect, Black and White is an entertaining and shocking second chapter which sets up a very promising conclusion to this already fascinating trilogy. 

The Radio Times have confirmed the airdate for Series 7 of Doctor Who, ending months of speculation and confusion.

The listings on the Radio Times website show that Doctor Who will indeed return with 7.1: Asylum of the Daleks on Saturday 1st September 2012, at 7:20pm.

DWO reported the possible airdate as far back as May 2012, but as always, nothing is confirmed until official word from the BBC, which we now have through the Radio Times.

Worldwide Airdates:

USA - BBC America - Saturday 1st September at 9:00pm
Canada - Space - Saturday 1st September at 9:00pm
Australia - ABC1 - Saturday 8th September at 7:30pm
New Zealand - Prime - TBC September at TBC 

A new trailer via BBC America is also available to view below:

[youtube:fNHEEZ_I74U]

[Source: Radio Times]

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: James Goss

RRP: £8.99

Release Date: 31st July 2012

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 22nd August 2012

Ian Chesterton once travelled with an extraordinary man. He travelled the universe far and wide and for all the amazing things he saw, he wanted nothing more but to get back home. But now the past is coming back to haunt him as Ian suddenly wakes up in The Chesterton Exhibition located within a mysterious Time Museum dedicated entirely to his past.

The Museum’s curator Pendolin is delighted to find him but he is scared. There is something lurking in the Museum and it wants them both. Whilst on the run Ian’s memories begin to fade and corrupt. Whatever is out there wants Ian’s past and it is very hungry, but can he escape this nightmare and is Pendolin to be trusted?

Ian Chesterton is about to discover just how important the past can mean to his future...

As the Fiftieth anniversary of Doctor Who approaches we are incredibly lucky to still have William Russell amongst us. That he is still performing the character of Ian Chesterton after all this time is really quite extraordinary and The Time Museum is a wonderful showcase for his talents.

Presented more as a drama unlike the traditional formula of The Companion Chronicles, Russell gives a magnificent performance. His Ian, though much older, is still the same man that stepped into Totter’s Yard all those years ago.

His co-star Philip Pope who plays Pendolin proves to be an excellent foil to Ian, and Pope gives a very intriguing performance throughout.

The Time Museum is a wonderful examination of one of Doctor Who’s most celebrated and fondly thought of Companions, and continues the development that Big Finish has brought to the character in previous Companion Chronicles. 

In this story Ian Chesterton is a man searching for his identity amongst the painful confusion as his past is being eaten away. The disorientation Ian displays here is beautifully portrayed by Russell as the memories he recounts of adventures past is part of the appeal of this story. There is even a surprising little nod to the Doctor Who and the Daleks target novelisation by David Whittaker, that fans will enjoy picking up on.

This play is a wonderful celebration of the show’s past tinged with a sense of melancholy. Listening to The Time Museum reminds you just how important those early stories were in the development of the show as we know it today. Without Ian and Barbara I don’t think the show would have lasted longer than its allotted thirteen weeks. Nostalgia can sometimes be seen as being over indulgent, but here it never outstays its welcome. The kisses to the past are essential to the plot as Ian desperately tries to cling to his sense of self as he and Pendolin come under threat.

As the big anniversary looms around the corner it is certainly not too early to start celebrating and with The Time Museum, Big Finish has created a perfect birthday present to all devoted Whovians everywhere.

Quite simply this is an essential purchase.

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: Jonathan Morris

RRP: £14.99 (CD) / £12.99 (Download)

Release Date: 31st July 2012

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 22nd August 2012

Albert and Peggy Marsden are certainly a very ordinary elderly couple. Living in the North of England in the late 1980s, they go about their day to day business as political upheaval in the East threatens to spill over into Nuclear War.

Albert, following the Government issued leaflet “Protect and Survive” is busy making the preparations to their countryside home should the very worst come to pass. Peggy is expecting their grown up son to be home at any minute, but they are about to get a visit from two very different people. A girl called Ace and a boy called Hex have arrived out of the blue in a strangely white coloured Police Box. 

Taken in by the couple, Ace and Hex begin to see things are very wrong. History is not following its proper course and if that wasn’t bad enough The Doctor has gone missing. Then as the bombs begin to drop on England both companions realise The Doctor will not be there to save them this time.

One of the greatest fears of the 1980s was the potential of any nation armed with nuclear weapons to launch them towards any country it declared an enemy. Nuclear attack was the ultimate in Cold War paranoia and even now it lingers in the memories of those who grew up in that era.

Protect and Survive, the first release in the new series for The Seventh Doctor addresses these fears in an incredibly disturbing way.

Jonathan Morris has clearly drawn on many sources of inspiration for Protect and Survive. Morris uses actual advice issued by the Government to the populace in the event of a nuclear attack. This is given out in a cold and clipped British dialect by the Marsden’s radio. This object not only creates a great deal of tension, but becomes a very important plot device later in the story. This littering of historical details gives the play a disturbing feel of authenticity and for anyone who has ever watched the BBC’s thoroughly bleak Threads it will certainly conjure up many frightening memories.

The first episode is incredibly well written and does an astounding job of balancing human drama amidst the science fiction and apocalyptic elements of the plot. Sophie Aldred and Philip Olivier are absolutely brilliant throughout this story but particularly so in this episode. Without The Doctor they are the ones we turn to for familiarity in this incredibly horrifying world. We really get to see what makes Ace and Hex work so well as companions.

The rest of the cast is superb with Peggy and Albert brilliantly played by Ian Hogg and Elizabeth Bennett. Their characterisation very strongly put you in mind of the Bloggses from Raymond Briggs' heartbreaking Where the Wind Blows, quite clearly another source of inspiration for this story. As the characters of Peggy and Albert dramatically change with the development of the plot, the impact is given great gravitas by both actors’ great performances.

These stories were mostly recorded whilst Sylvester McCoy was in New Zealand filming for The Hobbit but The Doctor’s slight absence does not lessen his impact on the story. The Doctor comes in at several key moments and McCoy is of course brilliant, but this is more of a story about Ace and Hex. For all The Doctor’s scheming and planning, this time they definitely do not have him around to explain what is going on. They are left in the frightening position of having to figure it all out for themselves.

There are plot threads here which have been developing throughout the last few Seventh Doctor releases. The most intriguing is appearances of the black and white TARDIS. In McCoy’s solo he has a black TARDIS adventures and a White one whilst travelling with Ace and Hex. With a very surprise ending to this story it looks like this trilogy certainly promises to answer these questions.

Protect and Survive does somewhat lose some of its momentum as the plot verges away from the Nuclear story into one that has hints of interplanetary consequences, but it cannot be denied that this is a very strong opening to what promises to be a new dramatic trilogy for The Seventh Doctor.

In Episode #257 of the DWO WhoCast Podcast, Dave and Siobhan bring you the second part of the two-part interview with Doctor Who Fan and Script Consultant; Ian Levine.

Over the years Ian has been a somewhat controversial character in Doctor Who fandom, and for the first time, we are able to hear his complete story, "warts and all", in this two-part DWO WhoCast Interview Special.

+ Listen to Episode #257 of the DWO WhoCast here!

[Source: DWO]

At long last, Character Options are finally releasing a Rory Williams Action Figure (for the fan who waited).

Amy Pond’s fiancée who, on his stag night found himself whisked away in the TARDIS. After defeating the Saturnynes and the Dream Lord, Rory was killed saving the Doctor’s life during a battle with the Silurians. However, his body was absorbed by the time energies leaking across time and space – resulting in him never having existed. However, his essence was placed into an Auton replica of himself in Roman times and after briefly reuniting with Amy, he accidentally killed her.

To restore her, the Doctor placed her in the Pandorica and for two thousand years Rory stood guard over her, the legendary Lone Centurion. When time was finally rebooted, Rory became human again, married Amy and once again joined her and the Doctor in the TARDIS.

Recreate scenes from Doctor Who with this incredibly detailed and fully articulated 5-inch Rory Williams action figure. One supplied. For ages 5 years and over.

+  The Rory Williams Action Figure is released this October, priced £9.99.

+  Preorder this product from Forbidden Planet for just £8.99!

[Source: Forbidden Planet]