Cyberman Tin Inside Covers

Wednesday, 13 October 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Tenth Planet has sent us the illustrations for the three CD's included in the forthcoming release of the Cyberman Tin, due out in November. Included in the set are the audio soundtracks for The Tenth Planet starring William Hartnell andThe Invasion starring Patrick Troughton, along with a separate audio CD, a re-release of The Origins of the Cybermen from the early 1990's. 




FILTER: - Merchandise

BBC Books 2005

Saturday, 9 October 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Outpost Gallifrey has received a copy of the 2005 BBC Books catalogue available to retailers and trade periodicals. While there is very little new information, it does feature basic blurbs for five books due out in 2005, including Chris Boucher'sMatch of the Day (January), Stephen Cole's To The Slaughter (February), Lance Parkin's The Gallifrey Chronicles (June), Island of Death by Barry Letts (July) and Future Nostalgia by Gary Russell (August). Click on the spoiler tag to read the story blurbs.
MATCH OF THE DAY, by Chris Boucher
It took a long time for the system of freelance duellists to be established - and even longer to develop the league of interplanetary superstars. But someone or something started interfering. When Leela is challenged to a duel, the Doctor suspects more than simple murder and mayhem...

TO THE SLAUGHTER, by Stephen Cole
The solar system is being spring-clenaed. Under the supervision of celebrity planetary make-over decoratiste, Aristotle Halcyon, the number of Jupiter's moons is being brought down to an aesthetically pleasing level. But as the Doctor and his companions discover, not everything is as innocent as it seems...

THE GALLIFREY CHRONICLES, by Lance Parkin
The Doctor's home planet of Gallifrey has been destroyed. The Time Lords are dead, their TARDISes annihilated. The man responsible has been tracked down and lured to Earth in the year 2005, where there will be no escape. The stage is set for the ultimate confrontation. The last in the series of original adventures of the Eighth Doctor.

ISLAND OF DEATH, by Barry Letts
Sarah Jane Smith and her friend Jamie investigate a strange New Age cult. Standard stuff for investigative journalists. Less usual is the demon-like creature the cultists worship. The Doctor and UNIT discover a plot involving government ministers, alien narcotics, and an official cover-up. But can they uncover the truth in time?

FUTURE NOSTALGIA, by Gary Russell
When the Doctor and Mel receive a message about the Lamprey, the Doctor is confused. He's never heard of such a thing. Mel has, which is odd, as the Lamprey is a demon from a distant planet, far, far in the future -- somewhere she's never heard of, let alone visited. Meanwhile, two strangers are watching every move the Doctor makes...




FILTER: - Books

Mitch Benn on Who

Thursday, 7 October 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Popular UK radio presenter Mitch Benn discusses the new Doctor Who series, the TARDIS and even the Outpost Gallifrey site in an article on icBerkshire today.




FILTER: - Documentary

Bruno Langley

Thursday, 7 October 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Another casting news item: Bruno Langley, who played gay teenager Todd Grimshaw on the long-running ITV soap "Coronation Street," will be featured in the new series playing a "mysterious character called Adam," according to today's The Sun. The Sun quotes a 'BBC insider' as saying, "Bruno will be a recurring charcater towards the end of the series. No one is sure yet if Adam is good or bad. Bruno is really chuffed. It's a great break so soon after he left Corrie." It also speculates that Adam could be another love interest for Rose Tyler. The BBC Children's Newsround also reported the story today, noting that he would appear in "an episode" of the new Doctor Who series, not multiple episodes. (Thanks to Paul Hayes, Justin Thomas)




FILTER: - Guest Stars - Series 1/27

Doctor Who Confidential

Thursday, 7 October 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Word today from Broadcast Magazine: the BBC will produce a companion series for the new Doctor Who season, a documentary entitled Doctor Who Confidential. The thirteen-part, half-hour series will feature behind-the-scenes footage and interviews wtih cast members as well as "archive of previous Time Lords" (possibly interviews with prior actors). The broadcast will air on BBC3 immediately after the main series airs on BBC1; each episode will be "based around a particular theme such as the challenges of creating a new Dr Who or finding his assistant." Mark Cossey, who will executive produce the show, said it would be aimed at a mainstream audience and not just fans; he says, "It will have a very entertaining glow to it," he said. "It won't be discussions of technology. We are going for a bigger audience than that." The series will be produced by Gillane Seabourne and co-executive produced by Julie Gardner and Russell T Davies. More details when we get them.




FILTER: - Documentary

The Juggernauts

Wednesday, 6 October 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Outpost Gallifrey has received the cover illustration for The Juggernauts by Scott Alan Woodard, the February 2005 audio starring Colin Baker, Bonnie Langford and Terry Molloy (as Davros). Click on the thumbnail for a larger version of the cover. (Thanks to Gary Russell)




FILTER: - Audio

Cybermen Series

Wednesday, 6 October 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
At the "Dr. Who & The Daleks II" convention this past weekend, Nicholas Briggs announced Big Finish will release a Cybermen audio series in 2005; no further details available. (Thanks to Sean Alexander)




FILTER: - Audio

The Indestructible Man

Wednesday, 6 October 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Amazon.co.uk has printed a synopsis of the forthcoming BBC Books novel The Indestructible Man by Simon Messingham, a Second Doctor, Jamie and Zoe novel due in November. As Amazon usually has the full retailers' blurb which can include plot points, we've enclosed in spoiler protection below; click on the spoiler tag to read it. (Thanks to John Putland)
THE INDESTRUCTIBLE MAN by Simon Messingham
Thirty years ago, the Earth was covertly attacked by the alien Myloki who brainwashed humans and seeded them into Earth society as terrorists and assassins. Earth governments pooled their resources and financed Operation PRISM to fight and win the secret war against the Myloki. Now the successor to PRISM, the SILHOUETTE organisation, runs a series of Early Warning devices in space, should the dreaded Myloki return. But the financial burden of the war has caused global financial meltdown and Earth stands on the brink of anarchy. The Doctor, Jamie and Zoe discover the war was in fact faked by a corrupt Earth dictatorship that has turned the planet into a tightly controlled utopia. Drugs keep the population under strict and docile control. Humanity is reduced to little more than work units. With the help of war hero Captain Grant Matthews, a PRISM agent accidentally made indestructible during the war, the Doctor, Jamie and Zoe gradually discover the truth but in doing so they face the opposition of a whole planet.




FILTER: - Books

Canada, US New Show Broadcast Updates

Wednesday, 6 October 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
TBI Buyers' Briefing, a weekly information service sent to over 6,000 worldwide TV executives, this morning features a news item: "BBC scout gets feet under US table: Dr Who US sale being finalised". Among the various items mentioned in the report, which is mostly about the move of BBC Worldwide executive Paul Telegdy from London to the US, is an impending sale of the new series to this, the largest television market for the new show. "One really exciting franchise on both sides of the Atlantic that audiences know and love is Dr Who," Telegdy is quoted as saying in the report. It mentions that he is talking to an "interested party" and is confident it will be sold to a US network in the near future. "We're discussing the ratings potential of the show," he explains. He is likely referring to a cable network, not to one of the over-air broadcast networks.

Meanwhile, the UK trade paper Broadcast also mentions the Canadian acquisition of the show in an article in yesterday's edition. "Canadian public broadcaster CBC Television has become the first channel to buy the new series of Dr Who, months before it is due to air in the UK." (This doesn't mean it will air before the UK, only that it's been bought months before the broadcast.) But CBC Television executive director programming Slawko Klymkiw does state, "This was an exciting opportunity for CBC to bring Dr Who to fans new and old alike across the country. We are pleased to be working closely with BBC to bring Canadians this exceptional new series." (Thanks to John Freeman)




FILTER: - Canada - Series 1/27 - Broadcasting

New Cardiff Location Work

Wednesday, 6 October 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
There is more location work being done this week; we've learned that the production team is currently doing on-location work at the Temple of Health and Peace in Cathay's Park in Cardiff. "Lots of blue midget aliens and 'tree people' having lunch in the catering wagons on Museum Avenue," says one of our correspondents. The TARDIS model has been spotted in the location as well. More details soon (and hopefully some photos...) (Thanks to MarkD, David Lewis)




FILTER: - Series 1/27 - Filming Reports