Doctor Who

[Feena]

Man United won - Yay!!


Well, after the witches, Harry Potter and golden lighting of last week we had a grey, bleak, but ultimately uplifting 'sci-fi' story. I loved it

There was a fair amount going on, but I don't think the younger audience may have enjoyed it as much as some episodes, there's a lot of talking in small flying cars.

A couple of references for very old-school fans. I only recognised them because I post on Outpost Gallifrey, even though I've watched it for years and got lots of the old stories on tape and DVD. I haven't got the relevent episodes, (well, no-one has all the relevent episodes).

Spoiler:

The Macra are back! They were in (the now missing) The Macra Terror in 1967 with the Second Doctor, Ben, Polly and Jamie.

The Doctor describes Gallifrey to Martha, using the same words Susan did in The Sensorites in 1964. An interesting bit of trivia I got from Wikipedia was that the third episode was postponed by one week following the overrun of sports programme Grandstand.

And YAY for the Cassinis!!!!


Next week.....

Spoiler:

DALEKS!!!!

eta

Just got the ratings from OG - 8.0 million (39.5%). That's fabulous!!! Last week the figures were 6.8 million (35.8%).

[SithLordWiccan]

Just watched the "Daleks of Manhattan" trailer on YouTube.

Spoiler:

"They always survive what I do to them"

Best. Phrase. Ever.

[Feena]

Dalek Sec is looking......a little different

Freema's site

[Feena]

mutters about posting lag demons

[erith]

Guess what Mister Saxon is an anagram of

I've been watching the Life on Mars DVDs and couldn't help noticing that in the interviews John Simm

Spoiler:

has a beard.

[SithLordWiccan]

Read the summary for "Evolution of the Daleks" on Wikipedia. All I will say is this.

If the Daleks show up next season, RTD better watch his mailbox.

[Feena]

I did enjoy the Dalek two-parter, and there were geat moments, but somehow it didn't seem as good as it could have been. Not sure why though....

Tallulah (three 'l's and an 'h') was great, especially once her accent settled down a bit The two Daleks down in the sewers were funny (I'm sure you'll know the bit I mean).

I loved The Lazarus Experiment. Okay, lots of running down corriders and wonky science - but that's what Doctor Who should be all about. Throw in a Dorset gravel pit and I'll be back in my childhood heaven

Martha's fabulous, I like her so much more than Rose (S2 if not the S1 version).

Two week break thanks to The Eurovision Song Contest , but at least we got an exciting Coming Soon.... trailer at the end.

Capt Jack is back!!!!! I know we all knew that but it's so good to see him.

[werewolf123]

Spoiler:

What do you think will be the effect of Martha and the Doctor's time in Lazarus's machine?

[Feena]

Spoiler:

What do you think will be the effect of Martha and the Doctor's time in Lazarus's machine?

Hmm....

Spoiler:

I've not heard anything specifically (I read some spoilers on Outpost Gallifrey but I don't really know much about the later episodes). There does seem to be a lot of mentions of DNA in the episodes (and to come I think) so maybe it will have had an effect, on the Doctor if not on Martha.

Then again, it may mean nothing at all! The wonky science effect

[BBOvenGuy]

I'm guessing it's wonky science and we won't hear anything more of it - but I could be wrong.

The thing I found interesting was...

Spoiler:

...that "Mr. Saxon" was the one backing Professor Lazarus's experiments. If he really is the Master, it sounds like he's trying to regenerate again. That could explain what Captain Jack's involvement in the end of the season is, too, since he still can't die.

[SithLordWiccan]

I did enjoy the Dalek two-parter, and there were geat moments, but somehow it didn't seem as good as it could have been. Not sure why though....

Tallulah (three 'l's and an 'h') was great, especially once her accent settled down a bit The two Daleks down in the sewers were funny (I'm sure you'll know the bit I mean).

Yeah, I made that comment without having seen the episodes. I've managed to see clips from it, and decided it's not nearly as bad as I made it out to be.

That doesn't exactly mean it's good, though.

[Feena]

Eurovision is finally over (Serbia won) so we can get back to the Doctor on Saturday nights

This Saturday it's 42. Some nice links for you....

Here is the Prologue on the BBC site.

This is the original "Next Time" trailer from the end of The Lazarus Experiment.

[WebWarlock]

Saw 42.

Spoiler:

Was it just me or did it seem a little like "The Impossible Planet" and "The Satan Pit"? Of course I was also reminded of the old Pertwee episode "Inferno". Weakest episode of this seires so far.

BUT

Spoiler:

More Mister Saxon clues!

Tim

[Feena]

I thought Human Nature was sublime

If the second part lives up to it I think it will be up there with The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances

Maybe even better....even though there's no Captain Jack!!!

[BBOvenGuy]

Yes, Paul Cornell should book his tickets for Denver and next year's WorldCon.

My one gripe is that I think Doctor #10 has had more of a love life than his nine predecessors combined. In this case, the romance was a part of the original New Adventures novel, and really if you're going to tell a story about the Doctor being a human, you'd pretty much have to have one anyway. But after "Girl in the Fireplace" last year, the endless pining over Rose and now Martha moping around, it's getting to be a bit much.

I think my favorite bit was the page in the Doctor's journal with all the drawings of his previous selves.

[Feena]

This was posted on OG (via TWoP) by the actual Doctor Who Sound Editor. It's the full script he used when creating the voices coming out of the watch.

THE DOCTOR: Space...and Time... Eternity and infinity within the Vortex. The secret lies within, I'm trapped,
I'm caged inside the cold and the metal and the dark, but waiting, always waiting. Contained, encircled, enclosed,
the neverending circle goes round and round and round. Awaiting release. The power within, the power of a Time Lord, such a precious prize, protect me. I will return. I am returning, even now. And the Human will fall.

WOMAN: The Family is coming, the Family has picked up the scent, the time is not right... Timothy. Timothy?
Hide us, hide me, hide it from harm. You have been chosen, boy. You stand as protector, against the dark and the cold, reach out, boy, reach out with your mind...

WISE MAN: Gallifrey, in the constellation of Kasterborous, galactic coordinates ten zero eleven zero-zero by zero two from galactic zero centre. There stood the Citadel, before the fall, before the Last Great War of Time itself,
home of the mighty Panopticon. All gone now, all fallen into dust. Gaatoms on the solar winds... "

'THE DOCTOR: Time Lord. You are not alone...

WOMAN: Shine with the light and the power and the majesty, the light of time and space and infinite fire, burn with the light, burn and turn, accept its wisdom

WISE MAN: The children of Skaro and Cybernetic men made manifest, the blood and fire of the Racnoss Empire,
slaughtered in the Great Purge of the Fledgeling Wars, flesh and bone of the Sycoraxic clan... "

"THE DOCTOR: Keep me hidden, keep me away from the false and empty man, the danger is coming, the danger is so close, hold me tight, keep me close and quiet and safe...

WOMAN: Darkness is coming, darkness is so close, they walk upon the Earth with the faces of men and women and children but their hearts are so old, so cold...

WISE MAN: This is the last of Gallifrey, the last of the Time Lords, the last of that wise and ancient race... "

Regards

Paul McFadden
Supervising Sound Editor
Doctor Who

This is a link to someone's Livejournal who has transcribed as much as she can of the journal.

[Feena]

The new Doctor Who Magazine confirms that David Tennant will be in (at least part of) Season Four. Stephen Moffat is writing a two-parter "with David actually in it this time, the big slacker".



James Moran is writing an episode and this is the beginning of an entry on
his blog. I love how excited he is about it!!

Okay. If you head to your nearest newsagent, and have a look at the new issue of Doctor Who Magazine, on pages 4 and 5 you will see an interesting article about oh bollocks I can't be all calm about it, I'M BLIMMIN WELL DOING AN EPISODE OF DOCTOR WHO! Wahey!

I'm more excited than an excited little boy, hepped up on fizzy cola bottles and Tizer, who's just found out that he's been given his own pet dinosaur. Yes, *more* excited than that. I've been watching the show since I was a kid, love it to bits, and all I can think of right this minute is seeing my younger self sitting scrutinizing the end credits of each episode, being terrified when that bloke's mask came off revealing his spaghetti face and his one big eye, being inconsolable for months when it became clear that no, Tom Baker wasn't coming back, and yes the new bloke really did unravel his scarf to find his way around the TARDIS. I actually screamed at the TV - "it's NOT YOUR scarf, you CAN'T DO THAT".

Other writers are

RTD - (4 Episodes + Xmas)
Gareth Roberts - 1 Episode
Tom MacRae - 1 Episode
Helen Raynor - 2 Episodes
Stephen Greenhorn - 1 Episode
James Moran - 1 Episode
Keith Temple - 1 Episode
Steven Moffat - 2 Episodes

[Feena]

That was an unbelievable hour (42 minutes here ) of TV. I think, together with last week, it's some of the best drama I've seen on TV for a very long time. The fact that it's Doctor Who is just a bonus.

John Smith is a very brave man, Ten is definately back to his "No Second Chances" persona. Martha is fab, especially in the village hall and the 'talk to the hand' scene.

I cried a lot, at lots of different things. Even thinking about it again chokes me up.

[BBOvenGuy]

Oh yes. As I said, Paul Cornell should go ahead and book his tickets for Denver.

Next week is the "Doctor lite" episode, similar to last year's "Love & Monsters." Except that "Blink" is supposed to be scary rather than silly - and it's by Steven Moffat!

Meanwhile, what's up with The Sun? Have they gone crazy? First they did that whole "David Tennant is leaving" business for weeks on end until it got debunked. Now they've been doing the "Freema is getting fired" story and the "Doctor Who is being cancelled" story! Are they just attention-starved or something?

[Feena]

I think it might be more of a case that they're 'spoiler-starved'. This year hardly anything has leaked about the Finale and it's possible their nose is a bit out-of-joint. They have got spoilers right before, they broke the story about the Daleks and the Cybermen, but it turns out that Britney Spears isn't going to be making a guest appearance after all. Although Kylie is


Also they're a rubbish newspaper that a lot of people have serious issues with, especially in Liverpool. The Hillsborough tragedy. It's almost 20 years ago but people still remember the newspaper's story.

They're owned by Rupert Murdoch.

[WebWarlock]

Wow.

That was just something else. I thought this had the feel of one of the "New Adventures" books (the Doctor was very "Other" like in my mind) and now I see why!

A great two-parter. Still wanting more "Mister Saxon" action though!

Tim

[Feena]

"Don't turn your back. Don't look away. And don't....Blink!"

BBC Homepage

I love the Fear Factor section on the BBC site, the four kids are great. This week they give it a score of 5.5/5

There's even a warning at the beginning...

NOTE FOR PARENTS: This is one of the scariest episodes of Doctor Who yet. The whole family agree that it is simply brilliant, and all four Fear Forecasters really enjoyed being so frightened while watching it together with mum and dad. The parents suggest that, if you're concerned, then tape the episode, and watch it with children during the daytime, or, at least, a long time before bedtime.

I'm looking forward to this...I think it could be scary

[Feena]

Wow...can I say wow again!

I think that maybe Steven Moffatt might be going to Denver too!

I only shrieked twice but there may have been the occasional whimper as well. That was creepy, so clever, funny, and did I mention creepy?

And it was an actual proper time-travelling story...that doesn't happen very often!

[BBOvenGuy]

Zounds, that was fun.

My only complaint is that I thought repeating the Doctor's warning message at the end was a bit much. But otherwise, it was a fabulous episode. Steven Moffat may just be the best writer Doctor Who has ever had. And that's saying a lot.

The whole idea of the "lonely assassins" and their being "quantum-locked" is amazing. It's just one of those ideas that makes me go, "Wow, why didn't I think of that?" And I loved the Doctor's description of time as being "a ball of wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff."

One question, though - Doctor Who Confidential hasn't shown up on the web yet, and I have to know. How did they do the statues? Are they actors who are very very good at standing still?

[Feena]

I don't know if it has shown up yet but it wasn't a behind-the-scenes one, it was a Special directed by David Tennant himself. He was looking at the effect Doctor Who has had on so many people in their childhood who working on the programme today. There were loads of old Classic clips and reminiscing, it was very enjoyable.

They certainly used actors with different masks for the statues. Do you have street actors in America who just stand on boxes and them move suddenly as someone walks by? I know there are a lot in London but they may be surprised at how many screaming children (and adults!) they see now!

I found this site which hires out 'living statues' Statueman

eta

Whoohoo...I'm Gay Now!

Bob, another 'In America' question. I quite liked the repeat at the end with the statue montage. Does America have many old (or old-looking) statues in cities and towns? We have them everywhere which is why it might have more impact here. And then of course there's the graveyards, I'm sure yours have lots of angel ones too.

[werewolf123]

If the Picasso In Chicago started doing that , i would be scared.
East coast cities have their share of statues, not to many elsewhere in the U.S..
As for the mechanical man question, they exist here ,but i have only seen them in movies.

[erith]

The Doctor-lite episodes keep getting better, and the build up to the end of Series 3 is as good, if not better, than the first series.

More importantly next week Jack is back.

[Feena]

Lizo presents a children's TV show, Newsround, on the BBC and posts on OG. The BBCi Newsround site has his Utopia review.

Newsround

After the fabulously enjoyable terror of last week's episode Blink, it's hard to imagine how this year's series could get much better.

That is until you watch Utopia - an outstanding story even by Doctor Who standards, with the surprising arrival of someone from The Doctor's past.

[...spoiler stuff about the episode...]

I started the episode in my usual position - sitting in front of the TV, notebook and pen in hand. By the last few minutes I was up and hopping from foot to foot with sheer excitement.

And by the time the end credits rolled past I was simply staring at the screen, jaw hanging open in utter admiration at both the writing and the acting performances.

With only two episodes left after this, both again written by Russell T. Davies, it all leaves you desperate to find out how he can possibly top Utopia, as this third series of Doctor Who builds to its climax.

Final verdict - a mind-blowing watch.

Five out of five.

[WebWarlock]

Sounds great!!!!

I had gone into Blink with very low expectations, I am not that big of a fan of the Doctor-lite episodes. But WOW that blew me away. So cool.
And let's be honest, Sally Sparrow was about as cute as they get.

Great wibbly-wobbly timey episodey stuff!

Tim

[BBOvenGuy]

The BBC has posted the short story that "Blink" is based on at their website:

"What I Did On My Christmas Holidays" by Sally Sparrow (as told to Steven Moffat)

It's lots of fun.

What was also lots of fun was David Tennant's Doctor Who Confidential episode. It blew me away to hear how many of the Doctor Who people got into writing and the TV business because they dreamed of writing for Doctor Who. I was exactly the same way, although with me it was Star Trek and Space: 1999, since Doctor Who didn't get to the US until I was a teenager.