Saturday Series Press Roundup

According to The Mirror, David Walliams of "Little Britain" fame - and a Doctor Who fan to boot - will be writing a script for the second season of the series, perhaps filling in the gap for the one episode that the last issue of DWM said hadn't yet been assigned. "He was approached after BBC bosses decided his surreal sense of humour would be ideal for the revived show's wacky new storylines," says the Mirror. "A single playboy-about-town who has been linked to Patsy Kensit, Abi Titmuss, Denise Van Outen and Jayne Middlemiss, David took Dr Who star Billie Piper out for dinner to find out more about her character as the Doctor's sidekick Rose Tyler. One TV insider said: 'Russell T. Davies, the chief scriptwriter, is a massive fan of Little Britain. He was impressed by the fact David's comedy writing is always full of really original ideas. David jumped at the chance and is taking it very seriously.'"

The BBC's official site has another spinoff website tieing into the new series:www.geocomtex.net, featuring Harry van Statten's company from "Dalek".

"Dalek" Reviews Pour In

Says The Times: "Tonight's episode may not have the zany, off-the-wall humour associated with the ones written by Russell T. Davies, but Robert Shearman's script -and I can't believe that I'm about to say this -is strangely moving. It concerns the last surviving Dalek, which is being held in chains in an underground museum in Utah. Daleks, as we know from the lessons of history, are programmed to hate. But, amid all the excitement, tonight's episode manages to sneak in a message about the redemptive power of human kindness and the way in which victims can turn into oppressors. This new Doctor Who is an unqualified triumph."

The Guardian: "Robert Shearman's script bamboozles expectations, offering a fresh take on the famous metal drama queens, here both more formidable and sympathetic than we've ever seen them in the past. Claustrophobic and suitably melodramatic, this should hopefully show 2005's kids what was always so wonderful about the iconic tin-rotters."

The London Evening Standard: "This week's episode title- Dalek- may crush the surprise the script clearly hoped to generate around the return of the killer pepperpot, but that's the only disappointment here. ... At its best, science fiction is supposed to be a metaphor. It's not a theory that always pans out, but here, in the conflict between a murderous intergalactic dustbin and a double-hearted time traveller, we get a powerful look at the way war- whether it's in the Balkans, Iraq or outer space- twists even the best of people. 'If you can't kill, then what are you good for?' the Doctor hisses at the imprisioned Dalek. But by the end, you're left wondering whether it is the Dalek or the Doctor who has been damaged most by the conflict. It's heady, surprising, spiky and occasionally pretentious stuff, but I'll take this over ITV's spandex celeb-grappling any Saturday night."

Ian Hyland in The Mirror: "For 30 pant sh*ttingly wonderful minutes BBC1's new Doctor Who was the best thing on telly. Ever."

Weekend Press

In The Sun Doctor Who is "Watercooler TV": Climb behind your sofa and stay well out of sight - the Daleks are back on TV screens across the nation tonight. Doctor Who's dreaded foe makes his big and much-anticipated return, although as I revealed he turns out to be a big old softy. And there's a truly explosive ending - don't miss it." The accompanying "TV Mag" features a small picture of the Dalek on the cover ("Exterminate. The Daleks Are Back!") and a one-page article, interviewing Mike Tucker, Barnaby Edwards and Bruno Langley. "Doctor Who" is Pick Of The Day.

The Daily Mirror television magazine "We Love Telly!" has a Dalek as pride of place on its cover, standing before an explosion with the line: "Be afraid! Hide behind the sofa as the Doctor's deadly foe returns". Inside is a full-page article ("The Last Dalek") with a "Dalek Databank" (Dr Who trivia), a review of the "Claws Of Axos" DVD ("Time lord-tastic!") and a Reader Rant: "Dear We Love Telly! The new Doctor Who is trendy, infantile and utterly vacuous. Russell T Davies obsession with passing wind is a disgrace to the memory of 26 years of family entertainment".

The Daily Star contains a two-page article ("Exterminate The Wrestlers: Daleks To Floor 'Em") about tonight's ratings war with "Celebrity Wrestling" and how "Doctor Who" is likely to come out on top. "Star TV Mag" features a Dalek on the cover ("Ex-ter-min-ate") with a third-of-a-page article inside (" A Step-Up For Daleks") giving details of the episode and more "Dr Who" trivia. The episode is the TV pick, with a five-star rating. The newspaper also begins a promotion today called "Sci-Fi Saturday" to run for three weeks. As part of this next week the newspaper will contain a free "Sci-Fi Sounds" CD which will feature an arrangement of the "Doctor Who" theme by Mark Ayres.

Says Newsquest Media, "They're back at last! Or rather, it's back. Doctor Who faces his old arch enemy once more with the return of a Dalek to the cult TV series on April 30. There's only one so far, but it's enough to worry the Timelord, as this week's episode sees him trapped in an underground museum with a relic from the past. And there's a twist - this Dalek's had a major upgrade, and doesn't need a stairlift to get off the ground floor. Long-time fan of the show Nick Wade from Sandbanks is a big Dalek fan and is delighted to see one of the megalomaniac rust-buckets square up to the Doctor once more. 'It's what a lot of people have been waiting for. Doctor Who without the Daleks is like Star Trek without Mr Spock,' he said. 'It can work but it's just not the same.' ... But Nick believes this updated Dalek won't be a laughing matter. 'One of the things about Daleks that used to make people laugh was that they couldn't go up stairs. But this time, the Dalek can fly. I'm sure there will be a lot of people watching, especially children. I think it would be good if they brought back some of the other old enemies too.' Nick, who landed a role as an extra in the hugely successful new series starring Christopher Ecclestone and Billie Piper, has also picked up a full-size remote-controlled Dalek built by a special effects designer."

The Scotsman reports that "the BBC is hoping the dreaded Daleks will exterminate the opposition in the ratings war when they make their return to the nationÆs TV screens tonight. ... Although only one of the metal menaces will appear, it is rumoured that more Daleks will return later in the series." The Scotsman reports in another article that the "Daleks Learn to Fly on Their Deadly Return"... "and this time the Daleks are even scarier." Says writer Rob Shearman, "People want to see the Dalek again, in all its glory, being taken seriously and killing rather brutally. I donÆt think itÆs any great spoiler to say thereÆs an awful lot of death in my episode... You wonÆt like what they do with their sink plungers now, I promise you."

Radio and Television

Next Thursday's Dead Ringers: Election Special is being promoted with a trailer that spoofs Eccleston's "Trip of a life time" trailer. The trailer, featuring impressions of the leaders of the three main UK parties, is accompanied by the new Doctor Who theme and has been running on BBC1 from at least the evening of Thursday 28th April.

The Now Show (Radio 4, 29th April) again featured Doctor Who, including reference to complaints regarding the apparently inappropriate language used in the upcoming Dalek episode.

BBC Ceefax has "Dalek" as its TV Choice for 30th April, running as follows: "So what was it the Doctor promised Rose at the end of last week's episode? Something about a glorious joyride through interstellar space. But here we are back on Earth. Again. Still, the old show often argued that it was more scary to see monsters in England than in outer space somewhere. And it's the monster that matters tonight, as the Doctor meets a Dalek. By the end of the show, you'll no longer think that Daleks are silly and that's quite an achievement."

Doctor Who, and more specifically the return of the Daleks, was a topic of conversation on Weekend Breakfast on BBC Radio 5 Live this Saturday, which runs on the station from 6.30 to 9am. A recorded interview with Robert Shearman was played at around 7.20am and there were regular Dalek continuity announcements telling listeners not to change station or they would be exterminated, which sounded as if they were done by Nick Briggs himself. Also, throughout the show presenters Brian Alexander and Rachel Burden were taking e-mail and text message suggestions from listeners as to what the Dalek's first line to the Doctor should be tonight. As the subject of waiting times to see National Health Service doctors has become an issue in the British General Election campaign over the past couple of days, many suggestions tied in with this, i.e. "It's been years since I last saw you - you must be an NHS doctor!"

Nick Briggs was on BBC 'Breakfast' on Saturday (from 08:53 to 08:56) on BBC 2. He was interviewed by Bill Turnbull behind a large image of the dome of the Dalek from tonights episode. There was a clip from the episode (of troops being exterminated, with the Dalek rotating its mid-section to do so) followed by Nick demonstrating the Dalek voice with the Ring Modulator; firstly, talking normally through the modulator, secondly talking with a 'Dalek voice' his examples being:and There was a brief chat about how the ring modulator worked, then the item ended with Bill Turnbull doing his next link through the ring modulator.

The Blue Peter website contains details of what was on the 27th April edition, in addition to a Dalek picture in the photographs from rehearsals section and a competition for children to win a radio controlled Dalek.

According to the Newsround website "The Doctor Rules In Your Charts". In their online poll "Doctor Who" has been voted the most popular TV show, beating "The Simpsons" into second place after a year of the cartoon reigning supreme. In the TV/Film section of the site is "Exterminate! Check out our new Dalek pics!" which features 8 photographs from today's episode. In addition, yesterday's "Newsround" promoted today's "Newsround Showbiz" on the CBBC channel with clips from "Resurrection Of The Daleks" and "Dalek".

ITV Teletext has "Doctor Who" as a Pick Of The Day.

BBC news 24 on Saturday morning showed clips of "Dalek" from this weekend's episode with an new force field it used to stop an array of bullets in their tracks, and its new trick of moving the centre part of it shell independantly of the rest. Also, the Dalek trailer was played, half-screen over the end of Neighbours on Friday 29th April just before 6pm. Significant as it didn't relate to the programme and wasn't the next programme to be shown, indicating the BBC's increased promotion for the episode.

For once Friday's Newsround didn't manage to crowbar a DW item into the headlines, but did describe WeeMan (a three tonne robot sculpture made of electrical items, representing the amount thrown away by the average Briton in his lifetime) as looking 'like something out of Doctor Who'. It went on to note the people behind the educational display, meant to promote recycling, hoped to 'exterminate' the problem.

ABC TV in Australia has shown its first full length promo for the new series stating "Doctor Who is coming to YOU!". The promo showed clips from "Rose" and "The End of the World"

Other Stories

The May issue of Limelight, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's magazine focusing on the arts, literature, theatre and film has announced that the June issue will feature articles and interviews with the stars, writer and designers of the new series of Dr Who. The magazine will be on sale at newsagents on May 18.

The Mirror notes today that Ray Cusick, "the man who designed the Daleks," was paid just ú80 by the BBC. "Instead, royalty payments go to the family of the late Terry Nation, who wrote the first Dalek script. Raymond Cusick has revealed that he came up with the design for the Daleks over lunch in the BBC staff canteen. Cusick told The Mirror, 'We went to lunch in the canteen and I was scribbling on the back of napkins the ideas of the Daleks. I picked up what could have been a salt pot and moved it around the table. I said, 'It moves like that, without any arms or legs.' The design was already partly on paper and partly in my head at the time.'" The story was also picked up by Digital Spy.

Other stories of note: The Belfast Telegraph has a story about the return of the Daleks, interviewing fans at Forbidden Planet; the Mirror discusses Billie Piper's filming of Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing";

(Thanks to Steve Tribe, Paul Engelberg, Jamie Austin, Paul Hayes, Chuck Foster, Garry J/"Facethemusic", Stewart Carswell, Widya Santoso, John Paul Street, Daniel Lamb, Russ Port, Mark Williams, Ian O'Brien, Michael Davoren, and Matt Kimpton)