The Time Traveling Troupe is a serialized improvised comedy series inspired by Doctor Who that follows the adventures of The Traveler, and her two companions, Travis and Tiffany, as they journey throughout time. Where and when they go, and what happens, will be based on three suggestions they receive at the beginning of each show.

Raychel Winstead plays The Traveler and is accompanied by Kyle Brower and Jessi Kyle, playing Travis Hartnell and Tiffany Smith respectively. Each night they will be joined with various talented improvisers to play supporting characters.

The first season will contain 12 episodes with a run of time of approximately 40-minutes each. Episodes will be available to watch for free via YouTube for everyone.

The team behind the venture are currently in the process of raising money to fund the show through a Kickstarter campaign, details of which, together with further information and a pitch video, can be found here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/78344168/the-time-traveling-troupe

[Source: Dennis Spielman]

Jenna-Louise Coleman, The Doctor's new companion, talks exclusively to Doctor Who Magazine, in Issue 446!

“I know what my introduction is,” Jenna reveals to DWM, “and I have a general idea of where we’re going to go. There’s definitely a story arc. It sounds really interesting, really exciting. I don’t think anything’s been done like it before, but there are lots of secrets and intrigue, and I think it’s going to throw and confuse a lot of people, and surprise a lot of people...”

ALSO THIS ISSUE:

GONNA MAKE YOU A STAR

Executive producer STEVEN MOFFAT gives DWM a peak behind the scenes at the auditioning process for the Doctor’s new companion – including his specially written Audition Script – in PRODUCTION NOTES!

FIRST LADY

DWM catches up with executive producer CAROLINE SKINNER in her first major interview, and discusses the plans for her first full season of Doctor Who, the casting of Jenna-Louise Coleman as the new companion, and working with the Daleks!

THE LOST BOY

DWM interviews MARK STRICKSON, who played the Fifth Doctor’s not-entirely-trustworthy companion, Turlough, and looks back on his time in the TARDIS – and the extraordinary real-life adventures that he’s had since.

DOUBLE TROUBLE

The Sixth Doctor makes his début in an adventure that takes him from the desolate world of Titan III to the planet Jaconda which is in the slimy grip of the giant Gastropods. THE FACT OF FICTION places 1984’s THE TWIN DILEMMA under the microscope, pokes it with a stick and uncovers its secrets!

FUNNILY ENOUGH

It was the season of Doctor Who which had Douglas Adams as its script editor – and it was one of the most controversial set of stories ever. Doctor Who heads reaches Series Seventeen as COUNTDOWN TO 50 continues! 

SOMETHING’S COOKING

Amy prepares to impress the Doctor with her culinary skills, Rory has a strange encounter while late night shopping and the Doctor pursues an invisible graffiti artist. But who – or what is ‘Monos’? Find out in the first part of brand new comic strip adventure, STICKS & STONES, by SCOTT GRAY and MARTIN GERAGHTY!

LESS IS MORE?

During Doctor Who’s original 26-year run, it would be the norm for stories to be told in episodic form over several weeks, but today the series usually presents a complete story in a single episode. But which format is best? TOBY HADOKE and JOHNNY CANDON lock horns once more over this thorny Doctor Who issue in A BATTLE OF WITS. 

TWEET! TWEET!

Doctor Who celebs, both big and small, are all flocking to Twitter! DWM presents 30 More People Every Doctor Who Fan Should Follow on Twitter – including mini-interviews with author TOM MacRAE, and companion actors NICOLA BRYANT and ARTHUR DARVILL.

FRENCH LOVE LETTERS

Love is in the air as Chris, Emma, Michael and Will steep themselves in French romance as THE TIME TEAM assemble to see the Tenth Doctor fall for Madame de Pompadour in the 2006 episode THE GIRL IN THE FIREPLACE – but what will the team make of this dangerous liaison?

A PROPER MADAME!

DWM conducts an intimate interview with Madame de Pompadour herself, actress SOPHIA MYLES, who reveals what it was like to wear Helen Mirren’s dress, snogging the stars and confronting clockwork robots in THE GIRL IN THE FIREPLACE!

GO WILD IN THE COUNTRY!

The Watcher presents another five truths and a cheeky lie in The Six Faces of Delusion, but which is which? Another Supporting Artist of the Month is singled out, and A History of Doctor Who in 100 Objects takes a look at the many Doctor Who adventures that have all taken place within a few miles of each other in the English home counties. All this and more in WOTCHA!

PLUS! All the latest official news, TV and merchandise reviews, previews, competitions, a prize-winning crossword and much, much more!

+  Doctor Who Magazine Issue #446 is out on Thursday 5th April 2012, priced £4.50.

+  SUBSCRIBE and get 12 x Issues, 1 x Special and Worldwide Shipping for £85 via CompareTheDalek.com!

+  Check Out DWO's Guide to every issue of Doctor Who Magazine!

[Source: Doctor Who Magazine]

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: William Gallagher

RRP: £14.99

Release Date: 31st March 2012

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 30th March 2012

In the year 16127, the once devastated and abandoned planet Earth is slowly being repopulated forty years after the colonists of Nerva Beacon returned. Those who have been chosen for the program find living conditions are from tough to the extreme. Transmat scientist Roger Buchman, his wife Veronica and daughter Toasty arrive at one of the new settlements on an island surrounded by the frozen waters of what was once called Loch Lomond.

The island is empty and the other crew members are nowhere to be found. As if that is not enough trouble to deal with, two complete strangers beam in from Nerva city, calling themselves Flip and The Doctor. It isn’t long before the horrific fate of the crew is discovered and The Doctor realizes an old enemy is lurking, hidden under the ice waiting to emerge and feed. But what do the Wirrn want other than hosts for their eggs? Who is the mysterious voice that taunts Flip over the two way radio and just what connection does it have to the Buchman family’s tragic past?

The Wirrn have always been a fascinatingly gruesome foe for The Doctor, and in Wirrn Isle (their second appearance in a Big Finish audio since the superb Wirrn Dawn), we get to see how the absorption of their host’s memories and personality can cause heartbreak and devastation on a galactic scale. The Wirrn were a strikingly visual creature on television, so it is up to the excellent sound design of Simon Robinson to bring every sinister chirp they make to life, creating a instant feeling of dread once they are heard.

The majority of The Wirrn swarm are used sparingly in the play, allowing the scenes in which the character of Iron appears, to have more of an emotional punch producing some genuinely chilling moments, such as the scene where he stalks Flip out on the ice over the radio. It is incredibly creepy and memorable scene.

Colin Baker is of course on top form as The Doctor, playing not only the scientific expert but a mediator between the warring factions of the Buchman family. The Doctor knows the terrible danger that he and the others are in and his struggle to keep them all together in the face of the ever growing danger is riveting to listen to. It is lovely to hear how The Doctor is becoming almost like a worried parent towards Flip and this is really rather touching. The Sixth Doctor has been lucky that Big Finish has provided him with such distinctive and likeable companions and in this trilogy he has struck gold again.

The wonderful Lisa Greenwood utterly shines as Flip, a character I personally am becoming fonder of the more I hear of her. Greenwood’s strong, funny and sweet natured performance has been one of the highlights of this series of plays. The scene in which she lies, broken and battered after a flight in a mini airplane while her blood has frozen her to the ice as The Wirrn begin to emerge is a truly nerve shredding moment and Greenwood sells every moment of it.

What is great about Flip is summed up by The Doctor himself in that he is not sure whether she is incredibly brave or foolhardy. The attention devoted to this idea makes one wonder whether this will be revisited in future stories with Flip of which I hope there will be many more of.

It is a shame when Flip ends up on Nerva City out of the main action, but this is necessary given the extremity of the family drama that plays out around The Doctor. He has enough trouble playing the science fiction equivalent of Jeremy Kyle as he struggles to keep the family together in the midst of coming galactic doom.

The rest of the cast perform very well in their roles particularly Jenny Funnell and Tim Bentinck who play Veronica and Roger. Funnell excels in a role which requires a lot of deep emotional turmoil, in regards to the loss of her son and her anger at everyone, including The Doctor if they so much as lead her on with false hope of any kind.

Some of the supporting characters, including the frankly ridiculously named Toasty, do not come off as well as the main players. I do not think this is a fault of the writing, but they seem to just not have as interesting a dynamic as that between The Doctor, Flip and Veronica and Roger.

I get the feeling that when Wirrn Isle expands the threat to a universal level it loses some of the intense, under siege threat that runs so strongly in the first two episodes. It doesn’t diminish the play at all, but the marvellous sense of claustrophobia is taken away.

Also if you are a lover of transmat action then this is the play for you as the latter half of the story seems to be utterly devoted to it. Although the presence of it adds much to the threat posed by The Wirrn, the story at times ends up being like a game of musical chairs, as one person or Wirrn is transported here there and everywhere for the latter half of the story.

Wirrn Isle is a very good play; a powerful family drama set amongst a horrific science fiction setting that, despite losing some of its momentum towards the end, has enough strong ideas and excellent moments to linger in the memory.

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: John Dorney

RRP: £10.99

Release Date: 31st March 2012

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 30th March 2012

The Doctor has taken his companion Leela to ancient Norfolk to learn about her ancestors but they get a little closer than they hoped. Caught in the middle of a battle between Roman centurions and tribal warriors, the travellers unexpectedly become guests of the legendary warrior queen Boudica.

After hearing of the tragic circumstances which have led to her fight against the Romans, Leela is keen for The Doctor to help Boudica and her tribe, The Iceni overthrow the invaders. The Doctor however is anxious to move on, as incredibly significant events in Boudica’s history are drawing closer and any further interference from him could cause irreparable damage to not only the future of the world but perhaps also a very dear friendship.

After some of the more traditional monsters and corridors stories it is lovely to see The Fourth Doctor and Leela in a purely historical drama. In a way The Doctor actually takes a step back from most of the precedings as this is quite clearly a story about Leela.

A warrior of the Sevateem meeting the most fearsome warrior Queen in history is simply too good an opportunity to pass up and, in the hands of the very skilled John Dorney, the results are fantastic.

It is extraordinary how quickly Leela does fall under Boudica’s spell, but this seems to be very much a consequence of her conflict with The Doctor. Until now she has always believed The Doctor was a force for good, righting the wrongs, defeating the invaders and freeing the subjugated. Now her mentor has challenged this with his desire to leave the Iceni to their fate, all for the sake of preserving the course of unfolding history. But why does The Doctor feel he has the right to decide who is saved and who must die? Through Leela, the ethical and moral choices of The Doctor’s actions come into question and to see Leela replace The Doctor with Boudica as a mentor more on the level of her warrior upbringing is both understandable and believable.

It is a credit to Louise Jameson’s strong and convincing performance that we see Leela’s struggle as she discovers her new Queen to be cruel and heartless in the pursuit of her revenge. One scene in particular when Leela observes Boudica killing innocent and defenceless people stirs the two women into a one on one fight to the death; a scenario that Dorney must have enjoyed writing immensely as it is one of the highlights of the audio.

Following up on the strength of Jameson’s performance is undoubtedly Ella Kenion as Boudica. Her portrayal is electrifying; all at once noble, fierce, cold and monstrous. This is clearly a woman who has dedicated her sole purpose to the extinction of the Roman occupation of her country and anyone who gets in her way will be trampled under horse or run through with her blade.

The Doctor gets to enjoy some lovely scenes with the Iceni cook Bragnar, played by the lovely Nia Roberts. This provides Tom Baker with some nice moments for comedy but Bragnar is given some interesting depth in a subplot in which she overhears The Doctor relate to Leela the tragic fate of the Iceni prompting her decision to flee rather than die a wasteful death.

Supporting players Michael Rouse and Daniel Hawksford are very good in their rather small roles but give enough to elevate their parts from simply being devices to steer the plot forward.

The cast is surprisingly small considering the scale and ambition of the play. The sound design of Richard Fox and Lauren Yason is to be applauded, for bringing the battle scenes to vivid life and for providing an excellent score.

The Wrath of the Iceni is a highly enjoyable play and an excellent character piece, and proof that Big Finish can create a thoughtful and convincing historical adventure story - let us hope that they do more of them.

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: Eddie Robson

RRP: £8.99

Release Date: 31st March 2012

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 30th March 2012

UNIT have recovered a damaged Alien computer, and for once they do not require The Doctor’s help. Preferring to keep their scientific advisor in the dark, they call in Dr Elizabeth Shaw, to oversee the repair of this alien technology. All is not what it seems however as the soldiers who had been guarding the computer have vanished without a trace.

To help her in the repairs UNIT have sent to Liz a computer expert by the name of Sergeant Andrew Childs. As repairs begin it is not long before Liz and Sergeant Childs find themselves inside the computer.

Trapped and desperate to escape, Liz and Childs begin to traverse the inner workings of the computer. But why are they finding the vanished soldiers dead and just what is stalking them through the mainframe? The Doctor is not around to save the day this time, so Liz must find her own way out but can the increasingly evasive Childs be trusted?

Liz Shaw, one of the shortest lived companions in the history of Doctor Who, but despite this has made a rather strong impact in the hearts of many fans. So it seems only fitting that Big Finish are determined to give this Companion the life she should have had on screen and have pulled out this rather fun and thoughtful Companion Chronicle.

What is at first striking about Binary is the decision to make this release a full cast audio drama rather than a talking book. This is rare for the Companion Chronicles, one of the last releases to get this treatment was the superb Solitaire, but the effect really helps this story as it is nice to hear Caroline John reacting to another actor instead of creating the parts herself.

The story of Binary is a good one. It is not brilliant or particularly striking but it is entertaining. The concept of being trapped in a computer is not a new one, but there is enough ideas running throughout the story to help it elevate past more than a mere run around story. One of most interesting parts of Binary is the idea of a computer producing an organic life form to fix faults within it. Although this does generate a stereotypical foe to chase Liz around a corridor, the concept is so highly original you can forgive the short comings of its ultimate execution.

The cast all work well together, particularly Caroline John. John portrays Liz as a woman struggling to make something of herself in a man’s world, and her bitterness towards the sexism and the patronising attitude of The Doctor (who appears in this story thanks to messages on a screen) really add depth to Liz’s character.

Joe Coen as Seargent Childs is excellent in the role and although the revelation of the true nature of his character is at times rather obvious. Coen, though, brings enough charm and subtle manipulation to the part to make any listener second guess his character’s motives.

The full cast play format is an excellent device for the Companion Chronicles as a series and I for one would like to see Big Finish exploring the possibilities of this direction with future releases in the range.

Binary is an entertaining and intriguing addition to the Companion Chronicles, with some very good performances and for anyone jumping on board is a lovely introduction to a sadly short lived TV companion.

Manufacturer: BBC Worldwide Consumer Products

Written By: Bob Baker

RRP: £20.42

Release Date: 2nd April 2012

Reviewed By: Dale Who for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 30th March 2012

It's a well known fact in science fiction programmes that some stories work better than others. In the case of Classic Doctor Who, there are some that are held up as being deserving of fan worship, whilst others are often looked down upon as being somewhat less than successful. Nightmare Of Eden sadly falls into the latter camp for many people. Derided over the years for it's studio-bound action and it's rather lovable monsters, this release should be a perfect opportunity to redress the balance and defend what's both a fine story and, for a meagrely budgeted television show in 1979, a determined, spirited, damn good try at getting that story on-screen.

In a move that's saddening and infuriating in equal measure, that's not how it's treated. It's derided still further, and talked about so negatively, someone should have thrown the supposedly "special" features into the bin and started again. Please remove all sharp objects from your vicinity and if possible have a great deal of chocolate or tea to try and improve your mood whilst sitting through the extras.

When the commercial starliner Empress rematerialses from warp speed and collides with the Hecate, the passengers and crews of both craft are put in mortal peril. Drug smuggling, unstable projection devices and huge marauding monsters are all in the mix. When the TARDIS materialises in the vicinity, it's up to The Doctor (Tom Baker), with Romana (Lalla Ward) and robot superdog K-9 (voiced here by David Brierly) to save the day. Can The Doctor seperate the ships, stop the smugglers, recapture the menacing Mandrels, and fix the shonky CET machine?

This single disc release from BBC Worldwide has done the usual magic with sound and picture quality so they're both amazing, and has audio navigation and subtitles available. Also included on the release are the Info Text and Radio Times PDF extras and a Photo Gallery of behind the scenes and publicity shots from the serial.

Special Features:

Commentary - Firstly, someone needs to tell Toby Hadoke you do not talk over the episode one titles of a Doctor Who story, you need to let the programme start before you do. In this commentary he is joined by Lalla Ward (Romana), Colin Mapson (visual effects designer) and story writer Bob Baker. It lacks the wit and warmth of many of the commentaries, and although Lalla somewhat defends the show and its budget, it does seem the only person who seems to remember what it's like to actually enjoy Doctor Who is host Hadoke himself.

The Nightmare of Television Centre - A negative, and disparaging piece, starting with severely lacking titles and everyone being filmed against a stark white background. Colin Mapson, the visual effects designer, does nothing but moan about the whole story from start to finish, calling it "a disaster" - apart from his models of course which were apparently the best things ever made. AJ "Mitch" Mitchell, video effects designer, gives a very half hearted defence of some of the technology used and million pound slow-motion video machines belonging to BBC Sport being available for twenty minutes, and Assistant Floor Manager Val McCrimmon tells of stroppy directors getting fired, Tom Baker being loud and mouthy, and Lalla being over picky and playing up. The cast and crew and the sets and monsters are mocked, laughed at, and spoken badly of. Honesty is fine, and of course necessary, but this crosses the line into a complete hatchet job of what's not the worst story in history, even with the hystrionics in the studio, despite what these people would have you believe.

Going Solo - More unimaginative white titles, followed by Bob Baker also being filmed against a white background.  aker will probably be best remembered for his work with two dogs: Gromit, of Wallace and Gromit fame, and as co-creator of K-9, one of the most endearing/irritating (depending on your view!) science fiction robots in TV history. Here, he's talking about his first solo writing task for Doctor Who, his ideas and research for the CET machine. You can tell he's less than enthusiastic about The Mandrels and a certain Germanic accent, but he's got the right attitude about these things ("What can you do?") and Bob easily comes across to the viewer as the best advocate of the story. Hardly surprising considering he wrote it, but at least he's positive and defends it very well indeed.

The Doctor's Strange Love - Simon Guerrier presents this piece from Sarah Jane's attic.  Mister Smith is out and all lit up, and the set looks glorious, which causes a small flutter of love lost in the heart. Joining him in this piece to mock and laugh at Nightmare Of Eden are Josie Long and Joseph Lidster. It starts off quite nicely... but in under two minutes it's poking fun and being generally unpleasant about it all. It's all far too fannish and jokey, and seems like we're watching a group of fans just laughing at things in their own private mocking party. A few funny lines from the pair on the chaise longue lighten it up a little, but mostly it's a case of very few valid points being made, against far too much "look at this, it's rubbish" and "let's laugh at this bit now". By far the most intelligent input in the whole extra comes from Mister Smith himself, who wisely opts to remain silent the whole time. Another negatively slanted mess that could have reinforced the story's many good qualities rather than just poking fun at the show.

Ask Aspel - A 1979 edition of the children's show in which the wonderfully calm and affable Michael Aspel asks viewers' questions to his guest; in this case the second Romana - Lalla Ward. The questions from the youngsters who've written in are entertaining enough in this light and fluffy piece, and there's a rather fabulous clip from The Creature From The Pit. Lalla is honest and open and rambles on at great speed with much laughter and smiling. It also showcases Lalla's artwork for two books from that era, and there's one or two clips of Ms. Ward in other TV appearances, followed by another lengthy Doctor Who clip, this time from The Horns of Nimon. A lovely little piece, and would have benefitted greatly from being put on a disc with much better support from the other extras. A hidden gem.

Coming Soon Trailer - Nitro-9 at the ready, Doctor Who's next box-set is all about the teenage tearway from Perivale! Featuring her introduction into the series in the story Dragonfire and further adventures on Terra Alpha in The Happiness Patrol, the next DVD releases can truly be described as Ace Adventures!

Nightmare of Eden is not a bad story. It's not in the same league as Terror of the Zygons, but it doesn't deserve the unending scorn poured on it in this release. With the exception of Bob Baker there's very little done to defend the tale from any of it's critics, mostly of whom seem to have an axe to grind against the tale. The extras filmed for this disc seem designed to make you take a real dislike to the story, and although we can all agree that it's not exactly at the top of its game, it really deserves a lot better than the sorry back-up features its given here, which are both limited and woeful.

+  Compare Prices for this product on CompareTheDalek.com!

+  LOVEFiLM not only offer a DVD rental rental service and streaming movies but you can now also watch tv online - with a huge catalogue to choose from (including Doctor Who!) it's the best place for online television.

The BBC have unveiled the Series 7 Teaser Trailer (as shown at The Official Doctor Who Convention).

View the trailer below:

[youtube:7BtPbh2GCZw]

** Please Note this video is only viewable to fans based in the UK.

+  Series 7 of Doctor Who will air Autumn 2012.

[Source: BBC]

BBC America have uploaded a promotional picture featuring Jenna-Louise Coleman with the TARDIS.

The image (pictured right) is the first to be released since the announement of Coleman's casting.

Is is still unknown as to what the name of her character will be, but it is expected to be confirmed over the coming weeks and possibly months.

Coleman's first appearance in Doctor Who will be in the 2012 Christmas Special.

[Source: BBC America]

The BBC have confirmed the scheduling and some further details for Series 7 of Doctor Who.

It was announced at today's press conference, which also saw the confirmation that Jenna-Louise Coleman would be the new Doctor Who companion, that there will be 6 episodes of Doctor Who (including the Christmas Special) this year, and 8 episodes next year.

Steven Moffat also confirmed that Rory and Amy's last episode will be Episode 5, and that "Amy & Rory will leave in a final encounter with the Weeping Angels. Not everyone gets out alive and I mean it this time".

More news to follow...

[Source: BBC]

Jenna-Louise Coleman has beaten hundreds of hopefuls to become the new companion to Doctor Who, it was announced today by Steven Moffat.

Twenty-five year old Jenna from Blackpool will star alongside the 11th Time Lord, Matt Smith, to mark the biggest year in the show’s history.

Best known for her roles in Emmerdale (Jasmine Thomas) and Waterloo Road (Lindsay James), Jenna will replace Karen Gillan when she and Arthur Darvill bow out of the show in a heartbreaking departure after one final series of rollercoaster voyages later this year on BBC One.

Jenna says: "I'm beyond excited, I can't wait to get cracking; working alongside Matt I know is going to be enormous fun and a huge adventure."

The Doctor will meet his new friend in a dramatic turn of events as the show builds towards its enormous, climactic 50th anniversary year - full of thrills, adventures and big surprises. Series seven is currently filming and comprises 14 big, blockbuster-movie episodes - each a brand new epic adventure featuring new monsters and some familiar foes as you've never seen them before.

Lead writer and Executive Producer, Steven Moffat, says: "It always seems impossible when you start casting these parts, but when we saw Matt and Jenna together, we knew we had our girl. She's funny and clever and exactly mad enough to step on board the TARDIS.

"It's not often the Doctor meets someone who can talk even faster than he does, but it's about to happen. Jenna is going to lead him his merriest dance yet. And that's all you're getting for now. Who she's playing, how the Doctor meets her, and even where he finds her, are all part of one of the biggest mysteries the Time Lord ever encounters. Even by the Doctor's standards, this isn't your usual boy meets girl."

Danny Cohen, Controller, BBC One, adds "As we approach Doctor Who's 50th anniversary it's great to welcome a new companion to the TARDIS. I feel confident the Doctor will look after her in his own very unique style."

In 2011 Jenna made her big screen debut in Captain America: The First Avenger and is soon to star as Annie Desmond in ITV1’s Titanic. She has just finished filming on Stephen Poliakoff's Dancing On The Edge for BBC Two.

+ Watch the BBC News interview with Jenna on her casting.

[Sources: BBC]

BBC Books have sent DWO the covers and details for the forthcoming Classic Series, Doctor Who Target reprints.

Doctor Who and the Tenth Planet

Written by: Gerry Davis - Introduction by: Tom MacRae

The TARDIS brings the Doctor and his friends to a space tracking base in the Antarctic - and straight into trouble.  A space mission is going badly wrong, and a new planet has appeared in the sky.

Mondas, ancient fabled twin planet of Earth has returned. Soon its inhabitants arrive. But while they used to be just like the humans of Earth, now they are very different.   Devoid of emotions, their bodies replaced with plastic and steel, the Cybermen are here.

Humanity needs all the help it can get, but the one man who seems to know what's going on is terminally ill. As the Cybermen take over, the Doctor is dying...

This novel is based on the final story to feature the First Doctor, which was originally broadcast from 8 to 29 October 1966.  This was the first Doctor Who story to feature the Cybermen. Featuring the First Doctor in his very last adventure as played by William Hartnell, and his companions Ben and Polly.

Doctor Who and the Ice Warriors

Written by: Brian Hayles - Introduction by: Mark Gatiss

The world is in the grip of a second Ice Age. Despite a coordinated global effort, the glaciers still advance.  But they are not the only threat to the planet.

Buried deep in the ice, scientists at Britannicus Base have discovered an ancient warrior. But this is no simple archaeological find.  What they have found is the commander of a spaceship that crashed into the glacier thousands of years ago.  Thawed from the ice, and knowing their home planet Mars is now a dead world, the Ice Warriors decide to make Earth their own...

Can the Doctor and his friends overcome the warlike Martians and halt the advance of the glaciers?

This novel is based on a Doctor Who story which was originally broadcast from 11 November to 16 December 1967. This was the first Doctor Who story to feature the Ice Warriors. Featuring the Second Doctor as played by Patrick Troughton, and his companions Jamie and Victoria.

Doctor Who and the Day of the Daleks

Written By: Terrance Dicks - Introduction by: Gary Russell

UNIT is called in when an important diplomat is attacked in his own home - by a man who then vanishes into thin air.  The Doctor and Jo spend a night in the 'haunted' house and meet the attackers - who have time-jumped back from the 22nd century in the hope of changing history.

Travelling forward in time, the Doctor and Jo find themselves trapped in a future world where humans are slaves and the Daleks have already invaded.  Using their ape-like servants to Ogrons to maintain order, the Daleks are now the masters of Earth.

As the Doctor desperately works to discover what has happened to put history off-track, the Daleks plan a time-jump attack on the 20th century.

This novel is based on a Doctor Who story which was originally broadcast from 1 to 22 January 1972. Featuring the Third Doctor as played by Jon Pertwee, with his companion Jo Grant and the UNIT organisation commanded by Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart.

Doctor Who: The Three Doctors

Written by: Terrance Dicks - Introduction by: Alastair Reynolds

A mysterious black hole is draining away power from the Universe. Even the Time Lords are threatened.  The Doctor is also in trouble.  Creatures from the black hole besiege UNIT Headquarters. The only person who can help the Doctor is... himself. 

The Time Lords bring together the first three incarnations of the Doctor to discover the truth about the black hole and stop the energy drain. 

The Doctors and their companions travel through the black hole itself, into a universe of anti-matter.  Here they meet one of the very first Time Lords - Omega, who gave his race the power to travel through time.  Trapped for aeons in the black hole, he now plans to escape - whatever the cost. 

This novel is based on a Doctor Who story which was originally broadcast from 30 December 1972 to 20 January 1973. Featuring the first three Doctors as played by William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee, together with Jo Grant and the UNIT organisation commanded by Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart.

Doctor Who and the Ark in Space

Written by: Ian Marter - Introduction by: Steven Moffat

The survivors of a devastated future Earth lie in suspended animation on a great satellite.  When Earth is safe again, they will awaken. But when the Doctor, Sarah and Harry arrive on the Terra Nova, they find the systems have failed and the humans never woke.

The Wirrrn Queen has infiltrated the satellite, and laid her eggs inside one of the sleepers.  As the first of the humans wake, they face an attack by the emerging Wirrrn.

But not everyone is what they seem, and the only way the Doctor can discover the truth is by joining with the dead mind of the Wirrrn Queen.  The price of failure is the Doctor's death, and the end of humanity.

This novel is based on a Doctor Who story which was originally broadcast from 25 January to 15 February 1975. Featuring the Fourth Doctor as played by Tom Baker, and his companions Sarah Jane Smith and Harry Sullivan.

Doctor Who and the Loch Ness Monster

Written by: Terrance Dicks - Introduction by: Michael Moorcock

Centuries ago, a Zygon spaceship crash landed in Loch Ness.  Now, with their home planet destroyed, the alien creatures plan to take over Earth.  Their most powerful weapon is a huge armoured dinosaur-like creature of terrifying power that they brought to earth as an embryo - the Loch Ness Monster. 

The Doctor, Sarah and Harry soon discover that the Zygons have another weapon. They can assume the identity of any human they capture.  Who knows which of their friends might really be a Zygon?

UNIT faces one of its toughest battles as Broton, Warlord of the Zygons, puts his plan into action and the Loch Ness Monster attacks.

This novel is based on a Doctor Who story which was originally broadcast from 30 August to 20 September 1975. Featuring the Fourth Doctor as played by Tom Baker, with his companions Sarah Jane Smith and Harry Sullivan and the UNIT organisation commanded by Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart.

+  The books are released on 10th May 2012, priced £4.99 each.

+  Compare Prices for this product on CompareTheDalek.com!

[Source: BBC Books]

AudioGO have sent DWO the cover and details for the forthcoming Doctor Who CD release of Paradise Towers.

Much in need of a holiday, Mel and the Doctor head for Paradise Towers: a luxury man-made planet with sparkling fountains, sunny streets, exotic flowers and a shimmering blue swimming pool.

But when the TARDIS materialises in a dark, rubbish-filled, rat-infested alley it seems that this particular Paradise has turned into Hell!

Pursued by rogue cleaning machines, authoritarian caretakers and old ladies with strange eating habits, the Doctor and Mel track down the source of the chaos to one mysterious character – the designer of Paradise Towers, the Great Architect himself...

This title is read by Bonnie Langford.

+  Paradise Towers is released on 5th April 2012, priced £13.25 (CD) / £12.29 (Download).

+  Compare Prices for this product on CompareTheDalek.com!

[Source: AudioGO]

Sophie Aldred - The Doctor's Companion Ace, takes a candid look back at her time in Doctor Who, in Issue 445 of Doctor Who Magazine.

"We never thought, at the time, how far-reaching our episodes would be – especially now, with this rebirth of the series, people discovering our episodes for the first time. It would be interesting to see what Amy Pond thought of Ace..."

ALSO THIS ISSUE:

DOCTOR DOWN UNDER

Executive producer CAROLINE SKINNER tells DWM about her recent trip Down Under for the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular and her reaction on reading the script for Episode 1 of the new series in her first ever PRODUCTION NOTES!

KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY

DWM catches up with the scourge of the Silents, CIA agent Canton Everett Delaware III – aka actors MARK SHEPPARD and his father, MORGAN SHEPPARD –and finds out about making it as an actor, and whether Canton could return...

IT'S THE KEY THING!

DWM celebrates 1978/9's KEY TO TIME Season – six linked adventures which introduced the Time Lady Romana and featured Douglas Adams' first script for Doctor Who – as COUNTDOWN TO 50 continues.

THE FALL OF THE GODS?

With the Doctor at the mercy of the mighty Zeus, and with Rory and Amy facing a titanic foe in Ancient Athens, what can humble philosopher Socrates do to save the day? Find out in the final world-changing episode of the latest comic strip, THE CHAINS OF OLYMPUS, written by SCOTT GRAY with art by MIKE COLLINS.

THE LAST VOORD!

Get ready for adventures within adventures, as the First Doctor and his companions brave screaming jungles, snows of terror and seas of acid! Discover a wealth of fascinating new info as THE FACT OF FICTION scrutinises the 1964 story, THE KEYS OF MARINUS!

CHANGING HISTORY FOR THE BETTER...?

Doctor Who fans are spoilt with the care and attention that is lavished on the DVD releases. But as well as being lovingly restored, should the stories be improved, correcting technical 'errors' of the past? Sparring partners TONY HADOKE and JOHNNY CANDON argue whether rewriting history is ever justified in A BATTLE OF WITS!

CHAOS IN THE CLASSROOM!

THE TIME TEAM go back to school with the Tenth Doctor and Rose, and are reacquainted with two dear, old friends – Sarah Jane Smith and K9. Join Chris, Emma, Will and Michael on the sofa, and see what they make of 2006's SCHOOL REUNION...

OFF THE RECORD!

The Watcher challenges readers with The Six Faces of Delusion, celebrates another Supporting Artist of the Month and continues A History of Doctor Who in 100 objects with a look at the extraordinary 1980s single Doctor in Distress, in WOTCHA!

PLUS! All the latest official news, TV and merchandise reviews, previews, competitions, a prize-winning crossword and much, much more!

+  Doctor Who Magazine Issue #445 is out on Thursday 8th March 2012, priced £4.50.

+  SUBSCRIBE and get 12 x Issues, 1 x Special and Worldwide Shipping for £85 via CompareTheDalek.com!

[Source: Doctor Who Magazine]

It is with deepest regret that DWO announces the passing of Classic Doctor Who Actor, Philip Madoc.

Philip, who was born in 1934 in Wales played no less than five roles in Doctor Who:

The Krotons (as Eelek)

The War Games (as the War Lord)

The Brain of Morbius (as Mehendri Solon)

The Power of Kroll (as Fenner)

Madoc also appeared in the 1966 Doctor Who Movie; Dalek's Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D., as Brockley.

In 2010, DWO interviewed Philip Madoc at the Series 5 Launch Party in London, below is the video interview segement, taken from our VLOG from the event:

[youtube:pEA3Z41-5b0]

DWO would like to extend our sympathies to Philip's family and friends.

[Sources: DWO; TARDIS Index File]

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: Justin Richards

RRP: £10.99

Release Date: 29th February 2012

Reviewed by: Matthew Davis for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 29th February 2012

Knowledge is power. To know everything, every piece of knowledge that has ever existed is the desire of many but at what cost? Is knowledge detrimental to learning and understanding? You can list species of butterfly but do you know that they are beautiful?

This is the question that runs through the heart of this really enjoyable adventure for The Fourth Doctor.

The Doctor is determined to continue Leela’s education and decides that a trip to the universally famous Morovanian Museum is just what she needs. Upon arrival, things don’t go according to plan. First of all, why are they in an English village and just why are people dying around them, driven mad by the loss of something great?

The Doctor quickly begins to deduce that the mysterious Reginald Harcourt, resident of the local manor maybe the cause of the sinister goings on. Harcourt is the owner of The Collection, a place where everything, all knowledge and artefacts from everywhere are present. But as the Doctor points out, it is not fully complete and there is someone who will do just about anything to achieve its completion. Someone more than prepared to kill.

After the slightly underwhelming Destination: Nerva, The Renaissance Man is a much stronger entry in the new Fourth Doctor range.

Justin Richards' script is witty and clever. He captures the character of The Fourth Doctor and Leela very well, setting up the Pygmalion relationship that Big Finish is exploring with this series of adventures. Louise Jameson’s performance is very strong in this story despite the overuse of Leela’s mispronunciation of words, such as her repeated use of “runny science” for renaissance. Although Leela came from a primitive culture she is certainly not stupid. This however is a minor criticism of a well written and delivered portrayal. In fact, the relationship between The Doctor and Leela is much improved from that of their television appearances and this is definitely down to the way they are written. I hope that Big Finish continue to build upon this, as it is fast becoming one of my favourite Doctor and companion partnerships.

The supporting cast is good, particularly Laura Molyneaux in the dual role of Beryl and Professor Hilda Lutterthwaite but they are somewhat over-shadowed by guest star Ian McNeice as Harcourt. An intriguing villain, played excellently by the actor, especially when he and Baker get a verbal sparring, providing one of the highlights of the audio.

This brings us to the great man himself, Tom Baker. It has been a pleasure to listen to him return to the role of The Doctor, and he gives a brilliant performance here. In Destination: Nerva, The Doctor had to rely on luck and his wits, but here we see him relying on his keen intelligence, working things out way ahead of everyone else. He plays the fool and pulls the wool over everyone’s eyes before playing the detective with a great Christie-style revelation at the stories conclusion. Baker is witty, charming and brings out The Fourth Doctor’s moral centre beautifully, and the play is well worth your time based on his performance alone.

The main theme running through the story of knowledge versus experience is well realized. The darkest moment of the play, involving a character losing the knowledge which defines her, leading to a gruesome outcome, is rather powerful. This theme is explored very well and only seems to jar in the somewhat weaker epilogue.

Everything about The Renaissance Man is quintessential Doctor Who. It contains great ideas, two excellent lead performances and an intriguing story.

A highly recommended listen.

Manufacturer: BBC Worldwide Consumer Products

Written By: Guy Leopold

RRP: £20.42

Release Date: 26th March 2012

Reviewed By: Dale Who for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 29th February 2012

It's not often in Doctor Who's long history that a story is great, then great again, and then great for a third time, but this is very much the case with The Daemons. The original story was a triumph, but due to the infamous BBC junkings and burnings, only a black and white print of this tale existed... until a terrible quality NTSC (that's American Television) copy turned up courtesy of a fan. In 1993 BBC Video made a valiant attempt to restore the episodes, as featured in an extra on this release - more of that later. Now it's all been re-restored again, and beautiful it looks too.

The Doctor (Jon Pertwee) and Jo (Katy Manning) must battle to save the Earth from the alien Daemons, aided, abetted and very badly controlled by The Master (Roger Delgado), in the quaint little village of Devil's End. With BBC Three on location and UNIT stuck behind a heat barrier, time is running out for the Time Lord...

This double disc release from BBC Worldwide has superb restoration of the picture and sound quality - in fact the five-part story takes up all of Disc One (bar the Info Text and Commentary options) with all the Special Features on Disc Two. There are of course both Subtitles and Audio Navigation available on both discs, and the previously mentioned Info Text joins the Radio Times PDF Listings, and the Photo Gallery as standard included extras. 

Special Features - Disc One:

Commentary - Sitting around the table to discuss The Daemons this time are Christopher Barry, Katy Manning, Damaris Hayman, and Richard Franklin. The conversation is fun, loose and friendly, with plenty of laughs and lots of interesting and amusing reminiscences about the making of the story. Tales of theme tunes, Margaret Rutherford's cape, and warm fuzzy feelings abound. Great to listen to and thoroughly entertaining.

Special Features - Disc Two:

The Devil Rides Out - A look back at the making of The Daemons, with Christopher Barry and Katy Manning joining Terrance Dicks, some previously recorded footage of Barry Letts, and many more faces to look back at Aldbourne's finest hour. Discussed are the story's origins, Damaris Hayman's white witch being very switched on, and one or two displays of impatience from leading man; Jon Pertwee. It's an honest look at the show, but not a negative one, and it's clear that both cast and crew thought (and still think) the story is special and deserving of the 'Classic' status that The Daemons holds. They are, of course, absolutely right.

Remembering Barry Letts - Barry's sons, Dominic and Crispin Letts, discuss their late father's long career in film and television as an actor, director and producer. A fascinating glimpse at the life, outside of Doctor Who, of a man who is held in very high regard by family, friends and colleagues. Not cloying, or over-sentimental, this is a lovely piece giving a much more complete picture of Barry, who may be best known for producing the Pertwee era of Doctor Who; but who also had a lot more strings to his bow than Time Lords and Daleks. Featuring everything from green issues, to Zen Buddhism and The Navy, to BBC directing courses, right through to his final years. Truly a wonderful look back at an amazing man, who is much missed by friends, family and fans alike. A great, great piece.

Location Film - A reasonably short piece, but suitably nostalgic for this release. This is simply dome, mute, 8mm camera footage of Aldbourne, filmed during the location shooting of The Daemons. Not a great deal to say about it, because there's not a lot of it, but it holds the attention and isn't long enough to get boring. Very nice indeed.

Colourisation Test - The first attempt to recolour episode one in it's entirety. The slipping Doctor Who theme is enough to make you wince, but the recolourising is rather great if not of the quality that we now get as standard on these Classic Who releases. Interesting and holds the attention easily, and the colour looks great - even if it's a little brighter than it possibly should be.  

Tomorrow's World - A Doctor Who themed segment from 1993 looking at the first restoration of The Daemons, and how it was produced. Tomorrow's World was always very good at presenting these sort of explanations in an accessible and friendly way. Judith Hann introduces, and Howard Stableford walks us through how the first restoration was brought together via some spiffy TV technology. It's nice to see the TARDIS and the console turn up from an era when Doctor Who had already been off the air for four years, and it's a great look at how the restoration came to life.

Coming Soon Trailer - Silver cagouls!  Of course we should interfere; always do what you're best at!  Good boy K-9! Vraxoin! Name and date of birth! It's inexplicable! My arms, my legs, my everything! A veritable symphony of silliness, The Nightmare of Eden is the next release. it's time to play the music, it's time to light the lights...

It's hard to beat a Classic story, but a Classic story restored twice over and then given a great set of extras as an accompaniment wins hands down. The restoration is top notch and with the retrospective of The Daemons ticking all the right boxes, a look at how the first restoration was achieved, and a perfectly pitched look back at Barry Letts' life and career - this release is an absolute must for fans!

+  Compare Prices for this product on CompareTheDalek.com!

+  Sign up to LOVEFiLM today and get a 30 day free trial, also sign up via the LOVEFiLM Amazon page and receive a £15 discount voucher!

The 3rd Doctor adventure, Death to the Daleks, is to be released on DVD this June.

The Tardis loses all power and crash lands on the planet Exxilon. The Doctor sets off for assistance but is captured by two natives. Sarah also leaves the Tardis and is taken by the hostile natives to their temple. The Doctor is rescued by an expedition from Earth who also crashed after losing power. They are on Exxion to mine the chemical parrinium needed to fight a deadly space plague.

Another craft crash lands nearby the expeditions makeshift HQ. It contains daleks whose weapons are also powerless. A truce is reached between the group when the hostile Exxilons take them all hostage. The Doctor saves Sarah from sacrifice but then both are sentenced to execution by a creature called a rute. The daleks are use machine guns as replacement weapons to take over.

The daleks get the humans to act as supervisors to the slave force of Exxilons to mine the parrinium and horde it so the humans have no cure for the plague. Bellal, the Doctor and Sarah's new Exxilon ally leads them to the sentient city, the reason for the massive power drain. 

The Doctor and Bellal must make it through the maze of traps within the city and stop it draining power so the Tardis can and the humans can leave. However the daleks are in pursuit so they can leave and the humans must stop them taking all the parrinium. 

Further details to be released soon...

+  Death to the Daleks is released on 18th June 2012, priced £20.42.

+  Compare Prices for this product on CompareTheDalek.com.

[Source: BBC Worldwide Consumer Products]

Manufacturer: BBC Worldwide Consumer Products

Written By: Chris Boucher

RRP: £20.42

Release Date: 5th March 2012

Reviewed By: Dale Who for Doctor Who Online

Review Posted: 28th February 2012

The TARDIS lands in Hyde Park... oh wait. That's not Hyde Park. Could be a nexial discontinuity. Anyway, The Doctor (Tom Baker) walks into trouble between the tribes of the Tesh and the Sevateem in the latest single disc release from BBC Worldwide. Teaming up with local friendly savage Leela (Louise Jameson), the Time Lord must pit his wits against local mad deity Xoanon; a demented creature with a very familiar appearance.

Special Features:

Feature Commentary - This time, the title music leads us into Toby Hadoke presiding over Louise Jameson, Leslie Schofield (Caleb), David Garfield, (Neeva), Harry H. Fielder (bloke who gets shot whilst trying to kill Leela) and John McGlashan (cameraman) round the table. Lots of talking here this time in a very busy commentary, but it's never too much, and Toby moderates very well, as usual. Entertaining, and informative, but Louise rightly steals the show.

Into The Wild - A look at the making of The Face Of Evil.  A remarkably strange opening using the mountain model of Tom Baker's head and some remarkably fun 3D text, leading into Philip Hinchcliffe talking into what led into the story's origins. Taking in the departure of Elisabeth Sladen, and Tom's desire to be assistant-less in the show.

Louise Jameson and Pennant Roberts talk abouth their long, intermeshed careers (see "Tenko"). Also covered are *that* costume, Mat Irvine's first run as Visual FX Designer, and how to make an impressive jungle out of ventilation hoses. An informative, calm but fun retropsective, with a rather fun cameo by Anthony Frieze; who, you may ask, is he? Watch and find out!! There's also a very touching and deserving tribute to the late Pennant Roberts, director extraordinaire, who died in 2010.

From The Cutting Room Floor - A short series of film trims from the story, very cleverly shown in context using the episodes themselves. The film itself and the camera angles used are archive in nature so somewhat scratchy and jumpy, but it's a nice chance to see how things were filmed and trimmed to make the episodes work in the best possible way. A couple of filming clangers make it onto the screen as well; and the music in the background is wonderfully epic, and really makes the piece fly.

Tomorrow's Times: The Fourth Doctor - The occasional series returns for a look at Tom Baker's Doctor. Starting with the tones of the late great, Nicholas Courtney, the Points of View style show is this time hosted by the lovely, and very calm Wendy Padbury (Zoe Herriot from the Patrick Troughton era of Doctor Who). The wonderfully cliched and hackneyed accents paraded out are hilarious. It does show just how ridiculous and venomous some of the tabloid press have been over the years to Tom Baker's Doctor. A very interesting look at the show's coverage in the press; notably for the press' negative reactions when audience figures were on the rise.

Doctor Who Stories: Louise Jameson - Taken from the 2003 documentary "The Story of Doctor Who", Louise Jameson talks about her casting as Leela. As laways, Louise is witty and very switched on as to her time on Who and is always lovely to listen to and watch, and her memories are fun-filled and thoroughly entertaining. To be completely honest, some of this is covered in the Into The Wild retrospective elsewhere on the disc, but Louise is so terribly sweet and enchanting you won't mind. This woman could read the phonebook aloud and it'd be a hit! Thankfully, this is a great deal more entertaining than the phone book! Robert Homes, Tom Baker, and as always, the costume, get mentions, and a glorious defence of robot superdog K-9.  

Swap Shop - The other perennial Saturday programme from the BBC in the mid 1970s was Multi Coloured Swap Shop. A three hour mix of cartoons, interviews and pop music helmed by Noel Edmonds, ably assisted by Posh Paws the dinosaur. Here, Louise Jameson joins Noel on the sofa to discuss energy levels, life with the Royal Theatre Company, and possibly the best fan letter I've ever seen from a young girl called Catherine. Great stuff, if very, very dated.  

Denys Fisher Toys Advert - Oh good Lord.  From an era when you could buy a large toy for £5.99 (that being "the famous TARDIS") comes this advert for the Denys Fisher range of Doctor Who toys. Ranging from an excellent Giant Robot to a dreadful Cyberman, complete with nose; and whilst Doctor Who leaves Leela in the lurch  by disappearing in the TARDIS in the face on an impending Dalek attack. Great stuff!

Coming Soon Trailer - BBC Three! As thy will so mote it be! Miss Hawthorn! The Cloven Hoof! "Jenkins, chap with the wings there; five rounds rapid!" - The Daemons is out on the 19th March, re-re-mastered and on a double disc release!

As always with the Classic Series releases, the sound and vision are spot on thanks to digital remastering, and comes complete with the usual regular features of Audio Navigation and Subtitles for those who may want or need them, and the usual Radio Times PDF listings. Also included as standard are a Photo Gallery of behind the scenes and publicity shots, and the Info Text option to bring up on-screen facts, figures and trivia  during the programme's run.

Thirty five years after its original airing on television, The Face Of Evil stands up incredibly well as a good solid story, and with some great moments from Tom Baker and Louise Jameson stealing the show. The DVD showcases the story perfectly with a great remastering, and the extras on the disc expand very nicely on the story, rightly focussing on the introduction of Leela; and giving the firm fan favourite a great chance to shine and enchant us all over again.

+  Compare Prices for this product on CompareTheDalek.com!

The Collectable Art Company has been officially licensed by BBC Worldwide to publish a series of Limited Edition Fine Art prints of Original Doctor Who Costume Designs.

Pat Godfrey’s final design drawing for The Sixth Doctor's distinctive, multi-coloured outfit will launch the series. In 1984 Doctor Who Producer John Nathan-Turner took the bold decision to make The Doctor’s Sixth incarnation’s dress sense ‘Totally tasteless’. The resulting costume was loved and hated by the fans of the series in equal measure!

Limited to 1500 high quality prints, each A2 size reproduction is individually numbered and will be autographed by costume designer Pat Godfrey and The Sixth Doctor himself, Colin Baker.

It is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a special 28-page 'Script to Screen' booklet, which describes the making of The Sixth Doctor's iconic costume and includes an introduction by Colin Baker and an interview with Pat Godfrey.

Grahame Flynn, Managing Director of The Collectable Art Company said:

“We are delighted to have secured the rights to reproduce costume designs from this flagship BBC series. We are committed to bringing world-class, museum quality reproductions of the production designs to collectors. The range will expand to include the images from the classic and new series.”

+  The Sixth Doctor print is available for Preorder now from www.thecollectableartcompany.com, and will be formally on sale from 1st March.

[Source: The Collectable Art Company Ltd]

DWO are thrilled to announce the launch of our own Minecraft server, aimed solely at Doctor Who related builds.

Minecraft is a popular online game that enables players to build objects and source materials within an online virtual world.

Speaking of the new venture, DWO Editor; Sebastian J. Brook had the following to say:

"This is a fantastic new area for fans of both Doctor Who and Minecraft to come together and get creative in our online virtual sandbox. There's so much creativity amongst fans, and already within the first 24 hours, we've noticed some truly amazing builds within our world. We are extremely excited to watch the world grow and to interact with our visitors in Minecraft, and have a few building ideas of our own…"

Do you have a particular build you want to create? Perhaps a monster, set or prop from the show? Why not create it for FREE in the DWO Minecraft world!

+  The DWO Minecraft Game Server can be reached at the following address: 37.59.160.199.

+  Download the Minecraft software.

[Source: Doctor Who Online]

Filming has just started on Series 7 of Doctor Who in Cardiff. This series will see the last days of the Ponds with Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill returning for their final, rollercoaster voyage with The Doctor.

Amy and Rory have been at the Doctor's side for more than two series but what will he do after their heartbreaking departure?

On returning for his third series as the Eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith says: "It's thrilling and exciting to be back and working with two of my closest friends."

Karen Gillan adds: "It's just brilliant to be back on the TARDIS with Matt and Arthur for our craziest adventures yet"

Plus new guest stars so far confirmed to star will include David Bradley, Rupert Graves and Mark Williams.

Series 7 will then see a dramatic turn of events when The Doctor meets a new friend. Prepare yourselves for thrills, adventures and dramatic surprises as the show builds towards its enormous, climactic 50th anniversary year. Fourteen big, blockbuster-movie episodes - each a brand new epic adventure featuring new monsters and some familiar foes as you've never seen them before.

+  The seventh series of Doctor Who is currently slated to air Autumn 2012.

[Source: BBC Pictures]

An episode of the upcoming Series 7 of Doctor Who will be filmed in Spain, according to the Shepperd-Fox Agency.

Rob Cavazos, an Actor represented by the agency, is listed as playing:

'Walter in the new series of 'DOCTOR WHO' (BBC). He shoots in Spain next month'.

Filming on the new series will begin this Monday (20th February) with Saul Metzstein directing the first block.

[Source: Shepperd-Fox]

The very first episode of The Eighth Doctor Adventures, starring Paul McGann as the Doctor and Sheridan Smith as Lucie Miller, will be available to download for free from Friday 17th February-Sunday 19th February only at www.bigfinish.com.

Blood of the Daleks – Part 1 pits The Eighth Doctor against his oldest enemies and also stars Hayley Atwell (Captain America), Anita Dobson (EastEnders) and Kenneth Cranham (Rome, Hot Fuzz).

The giveaway leads into a massive sale of The Eighth Doctor Adventures on CD and download, as follows:

20th February – all eight releases of Season One are available for just £35 (US $60), or £5 each (US $9).

21st February – all eight releases of Season Two are available for just £35 (US $60), or £5 each (US $9).

22nd February – all eight releases of Season Three are available for just £35 (US $60), or £5 each (US $9).

24th February – all ten releases of Season Four are available for just £40 (US $75), or £5 each (US $9).

+  Each season is available on sale for just one day only, and only at www.bigfinish.com.

[Source: Big Finish]

BBC Worldwide confirmed today that Karen Gillan will be joining her co-stars Matt Smith and Arthur Darvill at The Official Doctor Who Convention taking place on the 24th and 25th March at Cardiff’s Millennium Centre. 

Karen Gillan said:  “I'm really looking forward to the Convention and meeting all of the wonderful Doctor Who fans!”

The Convention brings the makers of the Doctor Who together for a full day, in-depth event designed to reveal the inner workings of the series. On the main stage live pyrotechnic demonstrations will thrill attendees, while in detailed prosthetics masterclasses fans will see a monster made flesh in front of their eyes. Throughout these sessions the secrets of their craft will be revealed by masters of the trade including Danny Hargreaves, Doctor Who’s SFX Supervisor and Neill Gorton co-director of Millennium FX, Europe’s leading supplier of cutting edge prosthetics, animatronics and special make-up FX.

Gillan joins a full contingent of Doctor Who professionals ready to give fans an unrivalled glimpse into the behind-the-scenes world of Doctor Who. Everyone from the Production Designer Michael Pickwoad, responsible for Doctor Who’s eye-popping visuals to Casting Director Andy Pryor revealing what it takes to find a Doctor, will be gathering in one place to celebrate the creativity (and elbow grease!) that goes into the series. 

The Official Doctor Who Convention line up includes: Matt Smith; Steven Moffat; Karen Gillan; Arthur Darvill; Mark Sheppard; Nick Briggs; Ian McNeice; Raquel Cassidy; Neill Gorton; Danny Hargreaves; Tom MacRae; Toby Haynes; Barnaby Edwards; Caroline Henry; Stephen Pehrsson; Michael Pickwoad; Andy Pryor; Gary Russell; Simon Fisher-Becker and Marcus Wilson.

All tickets include:

•  Official Doctor Who Convention souvenir ticket.

•  Official Doctor Who Convention souvenir lanyard and pass.

•  Official Doctor Who Convention exclusive postcard pack.

•  Official Doctor Who Convention bag.

+  Tickets are on general sale now, priced at £99 and available at: www.dwconvention.com.

[Source: BBC Worldwide]

DWO have been working on our latest guide, and this time round we're taking a look at Doctor Who on Twitter.

Our guide includes over 140 entries including; Actors, Writers, Authors, Artists, Musicians, Websites, Blogs and Podcasts, and is constantly being updated with new additions. The guide allows you to follow (and see if you've followed) anyone on the guide, as well as in which Doctor Who related show they are connected to; (The Classic Series / The New Series / Torchwood / The Sarah Jane Adventures).

Do you have a Doctor Who Website, Blog or Podcast with a Twitter account? Why not email your submissions to us at: guides@drwho-online.co.uk. Likewise, if you know of any personalities who we are yet to add, please also email us with the name of the person, together with their Twitter usename, and we will ensure that we add them on the next update.

+ Check Out The DWO Guide to Doctor Who on Twitter.

[Sources: DWO; Twitter]

It had to happen eventually...Doctor Who and Star Trek are to be (unofficially) officially crossed over in a special Comic series from IDW.

Assimilation2 will feature the crew of Star Trek: The Next Generation and The 11th Doctor, Amy and Rory. Further info reveals it will be an eight-part series featuring the Borg and The Cybermen as some of the main villains.

Scott and David Tipton, in collaboration with Tony Lee, have writtern the comic, the artwork is provided by JK Woodward and the cover is by both Woodward and David Messina.

Our friends over at Bleeding Cool have run the following story regarding the news:

Bleeding Cool has squirrelled out news of an upcoming crossover that might send certain minds reeling. That in May, IDW are to publish a Doctor Who/Star Trek: The Next Generation crossover series. Featuring The Doctor, Rory, Amy, Captain Picard, Worf, Data, Geordie LaForge, Deanna Troy, Will Riker and the rest. And that this art, featuring the Doctor, Rory and Amy on the bridge of the Enterprise is a cover that will be used in the series.

Doctor Who has never engaged in any such officially sanctioned crossover outside of the Doctor Who universe before. The closest was Dimensions In Time, a much derided charity telethon show which featured characters from the BBC soap opera Eastenders. Then there was Death’s Head who kinda popped in and out. Star Trek has also seen comic book crossovers with X-Men and the Legion Of Superheroes. But this is the first time that two such major competing TV sci-fi franchises have been allowed to merge in any way before.

[Source: Bleeding Cool]

Doctor Who DVD Producer, 2|entertain have been in touch to let us know they have now integrated with BBC Worldwide - and changed their name.

The company will now be known as BBC Worldwide Consumer Products (a bit of a mouthful, we know), but we are informed the changes shouldn't affect the Doctor Who DVD range too much. Below are the full details we have received:

We wanted to let you know that we've recently changed the name of our DVD business and we're no longer going to be calling ourselves 2|entertain. This is all part of the full integration with BBC Worldwide and we're now part of a division called Consumer Products which brings together all our DVDs, our download business and also all the licensed product that you see on brands like Doctor Who.

You will start to see different labelling on product and from the Spring, the 2|entertain label will disappear from Doctor Who DVDs. The reverse sleeve will remain as it is now with the old 'BBC' logo so you can match each release with your collection. You will also see our press information come labelled 'BBC Worldwide' instead of '2|entertain'.

Doctor Who remains, as ever, an incredibly important property to us and we'll be continuing to bring you a extensive range of great quality Classic Doctor Who DVDs. The name change will not affect the quality of the restoration or the extras which we're excited to be able to bring to fans on DVD throughout the year. 

[Source: BBC Worldwide Consumer Products]

106 episodes from the black-and-white years of Doctor Who are missing from the BBC's Archives; the original tapes long since wiped. However, film copies were made and sold all over the world in the 1960s and 70s. Where did these episodes go – and, more importantly, could they still exist somewhere today? DWM 444 presents the ultimate guide to which episodes were sold, where and when – and the chances of their survival. The answers might surprise you...

ALSO THIS ISSUE:

OLD FRIENDS, NEW FACES

As work begins on the new series of Doctor Who, showrunner STEVEN MOFFAT takes DWM readers into his confidence, and looks ahead to the final fate of Amy and Rory – and just what might happen next...

SHA-DAAAA!

At last, more than 30 years since the TV production was abandoned, SHADA has been completed – thanks to BBC Books! DWM talks to author GARETH ROBERTS about the challenges of writing a novel based on Douglas Adams' lost 'Fourth Doctor' story.

RUTANS, SONTARANS AND GIANT PRAWNS

DWM goes back to the 1977 and celebrates the season which introduced K9 and attempted some of the most ambitious stories in Doctor Who's history, as COUNTDOWN TO 50! continues.

AN OLYMPIAN TASK!

The Doctor and his new Greek philosopher chum Socrates meet the Gods of Olympus, while Amy and Rory face danger in ancient Athens! Don't miss the latest thrilling instalment of the brand new comic strip, THE CHAINS OF OLYMPUS by SCOTT GRAY, with art by MIKE COLLINS.

FIRE AND ICE

Go on an ANT hunt, explore the Ice Caves and feel the Dragon's fire! With fascinating new facts and photos, THE FACT OF FICTION guides you through the 1987 Seventh Doctor story that introduced Ace – DRAGONFIRE!

IT MUST BE LOVE

If the love of your life is a Doctor Who fan, should you share their enthusiasm or leave them to it? KATHERINE HADOKE (wife of Toby) and GIGI CANDON (wife of Johnny) discuss the pros and cons as the regular DWM debaters defer to their better halves in A BATTLE OF WIVES!

AN ALIEN WEREWOLF IN SCOTLAND

The Tenth Doctor and Rose team up with Queen Victoria to battle a savage werewolf in Scotland, 1879! With their mistletoe at the ready, what will THE TIME TEAM of Emma, Chris, Will and Michael make of TOOTH AND CLAW?

ESSENTIAL READING

The mysterious Watcher remembers a landmark in Doctor Who publishing, champions another Supporting Artist of the Month and challenges readers with his Six Faces of Delusion. Don't miss the latest WOTCHA!

PLUS!

All the latest official news, reviews of TV and merchandise reviews, previews, competitions, a prize-winning crossword – and much, much more!

+  Doctor Who Magazine Issue #444 is out Today, priced £4.50.

+  SUBSCRIBE and get 12 x Issues, 1 x Special and Worldwide Shipping for £85 via CompareTheDalek.com!

[Source: Doctor Who Magazine]

Arcalian Attire have another Doctor Who-inspired Tee for sale via CafePress.

'Chesterton...Release the Nerds!!!' is a Doctor Who / Simpsons crossover that features The First Doctor and Ian Chesterton, in a classic 'Mr Burns and Smithers' pose inspired by The Simpsons.

The T-Shirt, which is available through Arcalian Attire, was designed by Dean T. Frazer, from an idea by DWO WhoCast competition winner, Alexander Edwards.

+  Order this Tee from Arcalian Attire, for just £18.50 / $24.99, here.

[Source: Arcalian Attire]

2|Entertain have sent DWO the cover and details for the Doctor Who DVD Box-set release of Ace Adventures.

Dragonfire

Featuring: The 7th Doctor

On the planet Svartos, the Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) and Mel unexpectedly encounter an old friend – Sabalom Glitz. Joined by Ace, a teenage waitress with a love for explosives, the group ventures off to find the fabled Dragonfire treasure. 

Special Features:

•  Commentary

•  Deleted / extended scenes

•  Trivia subtitles

•  Video & audio restoration

•  Coming Soon Trailer

•  Radio Times Billings (PDF)

•  Making-of documentary

•  Photo gallery

•  Danny Bang - documentary

•  The Doctor's Strange Love - documentary

The Happiness Patrol

Featuring: The 7th Doctor

On the planet Terra Alpha, the population constantly displays happy smiles. Anyone feeling remotely glum disappears. Quickly. Having heard disturbing rumours, the Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) and Ace arrive to topple the entire regime.

Special Features:

•  Commentary

•  "Ace" wishes Blue Peter Happy Birthday (archive clip)

•  Isolated score

•  Deleted / extended scenes

•  Trivia subtitles

•  Video & audio restoration

•  Coming Soon Trailer

•  Radio Times Billings (PDF)

•  Making-of documentary

•  Photo gallery

•  Politics In Doctor Who - documentary

+  Ace Adventures is released on 7th May 2012, priced £30.63.

+  Compare Prices for this product on CompareTheDalek.com.

[Source: 2|Entertain]