Mal Young in The Stage

Friday, 14 January 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
This week's edition of The Stage has a feature article on Doctor Who executive producer Mal Young, who it was recently reported is leaving the BBC (and the new Doctor Who series) and joining 19TV. While the article doesn't mention Doctor Who, it does talk about Young's career and future plans. (Thanks to Paul Hayes)




FILTER: - Production - Series 1/27

Mind Robber DVD Note

Friday, 14 January 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Although we previously announced the BBFC's clearance of several extra items from the forthcoming UK DVD release ofThe Mind Robber in May, one item does not appear on that list: the Basil Brush sketch "The Himalayas." It was originally classified as part of the "Horror of Fang Rock" DVD release, but was bounced to "The Mind Robber" due to disk space issues. (Thanks to the Restoration Team)




FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

Eurovision Tie-In?

Friday, 14 January 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
An article at the Eurovision song contest website notes that the BBC1 broadcast of "Making Your Mind Up," the pre-Eurovision show which giving viewers the chance to vote for the UK entry, may also include the launch of the new series on the same night, the first weekend of March. The article also states news from the latest issue of DWM that Colin Baker has submitted a possible entry for the UK selection. However, it's very likely that the notation is purely speculative, as we continue to hear late March as the targeted air date. (Thanks to Planet Who for the report)




FILTER: - DWM - Broadcasting

Mark Gatiss on New Series

Friday, 14 January 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
An interview posted on the TwitchFilm website with writer Mark Gatiss discusses many topics including the new series. In the interview, conducted very recently, Gatiss notes that he was "in Cardiff yesterday, at the press junket, and it was - I can say without affectation - one of the most exciting days of my entire life." On the subject of Christopher Eccleston: "He's brilliant. He's brilliant. I think the show will surprise a lot of people and that, particularly, Chris will. He's known for his intensity, his rather scary intensity, which he DOES have as the Doctor. And equally, if you know him in real life, he's a really good laugh and a lovely man and it' s that sort of duality that he brings to it. He's like a kind of crazy child, but then when he tells you off you quake in your shoes. It's actually kind of a Tom Baker-ish quality, but in a completely different way." On the Daleks: "They're back. They are. That's true. I saw one yesterday and cried real tears. It's a marvelous story by Rob Shearman and I can't think of a better way of bringing them back. It makes your hair stand on end, it's so spooky. Intense. Dynamite, really." On whether it will continue after this series: "Oh, well, everyone wants it to continue, obviously, but it's a real killer. I mean thirteen forty five minute episodes may not sound like a lot but the thing is that apart from a few two-parters they're all one offs, so you need new sets, new situations, and new casts. It's really exhausting. When my episode was finished recording I shot the League film and did several other things and by the time I cam to see my episode they still had five more to shoot. It feels like so long ago! Russell [Davies, another Who writer] said to me "We've discovered the show that will kill us all." But, god yes. We'd love to continue." And on whether he'd want to write for subsequent seasons: "Oh, god yes. I don't want to just do one. I feel like having been privileged to be part of the team that brought it back in what I feel is such a marvelous way I'd like to leave a legacy of stories. Of course mostly I'd like to be Dr. Who!" For more on his thoguhts and to read the full article, visit theTwitchFilm site. (Thanks to Peter Weaver, Paul Hayes)




FILTER: - People - Production - Series 1/27

Axos DVD, Daleks CD Notes

Friday, 14 January 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
The BBC Shop has posted details of two BBC Worldwide releases coming soon... the UK release of The Claws of Axos, due out May 9, 2005, featuring the press release and several extras notes; and the audio CD Doctor Who in an Exciting Adventure with the Daleks, the audio recording of William Russell (Ian) reading the classic story novelization, for which a small thumbnail of the cover is provided. More details on each below. (Thanks to Ross Meresman, Steve Tribe)
The Claws of Axos DVD

An approaching Alien spaceship is detected on monitoring equipment at UNIT HQ, where the Brigadier is entertaining two visitors - Chinn, a civil servant making a security inspection, and Bill Filer, an American agent sent to discuss the threat of the Master. The Ship lands in England and the UNIT team, joined by Hardiman and Winser from the nearby Nuton power station, meet its occupants: beautiful golden-skinned humanoids called Axons.

The Axons claim that their ship, Axos, is damaged and that they need time in which to repair it. In return, they offer Axonite, a substance that can cause animals to grow to enormous sizes and thus end food shortages. The Doctor is suspicious, and rightly so: Axos, Axonite and the Axons - whose true appearance is hideous - are all part of a single parasitic entity brought to Earth by the Master to feed on the planet's energy. The Doctor manages to materialise his TARDIS, with the Master on board, at the centre of Axos. He offers to link the two ships together to make one giant time machine, on condition that Axos in return helps him to take revenge on the Time Lords for exiling him to earth. This is merely a trick, however, and Axos is locked in a time loop from which it can never escape. The Doctor returns to Earth in theTARDIS, where he reluctantly admits to the Brigadier that the Master may also have escaped.

Extras: Commentary track; photo gallery; production subtitles; outtakes/deleted scenes; "Now and Then" featurette about the Dungeoness location Interview with Michael Ferguson (director); and Reverse Standards Conversion featurette. Due May 9, 2005. ID #: BBCDVD1354.

Doctor Who In An Exciting Adventure With The Daleks
Read by William Russell

This is Doctor Who's first exciting adventure with the Daleks! Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright travel with the mysterious Doctor Who and his granddaughter, Susan, to the planet Skaro in the space-time machine, the TARDIS. There they strive to save the peace-loving Thals from the evil intentions of the hideous Daleks!

'Doctor Who and the Daleks' is the classic novelisation of the Doctor's first TV encounter with the Daleks. Written by the programme's original story editor, David Whitaker, it is narrated by the character of Ian Chesterton, one of the first ever TARDIS companions.

Now, in an exclusive recording, the actor who played Ian on television û William Russell û reads the complete and unabridged novelisation. This MP3-CD disc will be enhanced with on-screen illustrations from the book, for PC and Mac users. Due March 7, 2005; ISBN # 0563527293.




FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

New Series Spoilers

Friday, 14 January 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
A few spoilers from the new series that we believe to be very accurate are circulating on several Doctor Who mailing lists and in magazines now. Click on the spoiler tag to read the information... but don't do it if you want to be surprised!
We have learned that all thirteen episodes of the first season will have their own titles, and not "part one / part two" tags. The working title for episode 5 (the second half of the "Aliens of London" segment) may be 10 Downing Street, while the title for episode 10 (the second half of the two-part story by Steven Moffat beginning with "The Empty Child") is likely The Doctor Dances.

As previously known, "The Empty Child," and its second chapter, are set during World War II and features John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness, who it is reported is actually a time traveler from the far future... and the story may feature a virus that turns people into gas-mask wearing zombies. Jack may also join the TARDIS crew, as previously rumored.

Yesterday (January 13) was the last day of filming at Cardiff's Royal Infirmary. "A security guard last night confirmed that it is Doctor Who, and that filming had finished for the day - Chris & Billie had already left. They should be there today from 8 am till 10pm. Don't know if it's interior or exterior," said correspondent Alex Willcox. Also, it has been noted by several people in our forums that that the building has been mocked-up as "Albion Hospital" again, so it does suggest the same story as had been filmed early on, or possibly in a different time period (possibly during "The Empty Child"/"The Doctor Dances"). (We do know that pick-up and additional shots are being carried out for earlier episodes, as the shows are not being filmed in sequence.)

The new edition of Starburst magazine features shots of a wedding from 1986 attended by Rose's parents (along with a young Rose), the TARDIS in a side street and a green car which it says may be the one that kills Rose's father. Also shots of the Doctor and Rose together and the Doctor on his own looking sad. These are from episode 8, which is apparently a time travel story: Rose's father is killed in a car accident and Rose is unable to save him. (We've also been told that the topiary swans featured on the BBC Who Spy site seem to be the ones outside the church.)

A new series press "junket" (or invited press session) for interviews and photos took place earlier this week; expect to see reports from that coming out very soon, possibly even in the next week. (Thanks to Barry Piggott, Alex Willcox, Nathan "Obstreperous", Glen Hudgins)




FILTER: - Production - Series 1/27

A Small Problem?

Wednesday, 12 January 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
A report in today's Daily Mirror (echoed by other services) say that the new series has been hit by a shortage of dwarf actors because of the filming of two films, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and the next Harry Potter film. "It's very difficult to employ persons of restricted growth when, as our producer Phil Collinson says, `Bloody Gringotts and the Chocolate Factory are filming at the same time'," executive producer Russell T Davies has been quoted by the Mirror as saying. Outpost Gallifrey has learned that this is, in fact, simply a quote from the latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine and, in fact, is from the filming sessions several months ago (which we reported on with photos taken from an on-location shoot.) (Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, Chuck Foster, Sean Bradshaw, Kenny Smith, David Collins)




FILTER: - Press

Mind Robber - Cleared DVD Extras

Monday, 10 January 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has issued the following data about the extras for the forthcoming DVD release of The Mind Robber in March 2005 in the UK. The extras include:

00:22:25:19 | HIGHLANDER THE JAMIE MCCRIMMON STORY
00:34:54:20 | THE FACT OF FICTION THE MAKING OF THE MIND ROBBER
00:06:49:22 | THE MIND ROBBER GALLERY
00:02:02:08 | EASTER EGG

While all of these extras are known, this actually quantifies them with running times. (Thanks to Steve Tribe)




FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

Sunday Herald Comments

Monday, 10 January 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
The Scottish Sunday Herald ran a feature in their magazine on January 9 called "101 Big Events of 2005". The introduction features a large picture of Moses holding the Ten Commandments. The byline begins "Thou shalt watch enraptured as Dr Who returns to the small screen!" The section of the article concerning Doctor Who read as follows: "#74 - DOCTOR WHO. Fifteen years after it was taken off the air, Dr Who is remembered as a defining piece of cult television. The programme was actually much bigger than that, a mainstream popular success sustained over 26 years, which only went into decline when the writers began catering to a niche market of sci-fi freaks and not the majority of the British public. In 2005 Dr Who will be returned to BBC primetime by a well-selected team of specialists - chiefly long-time aficionado and gifted populist TV writer Russell T Davis (Queer As Folk). Davis has hired like-minded talents to script the 13 new episodes, including League of Gentlemen co-founder and former Dr Who fan-fiction writer, Mark Gatiss. 'It's a brilliant reinvention,' Gatiss has promised. 'I'm not just saying that. Very funny, very scary. A great piece of television.' And the more you hear, the greater it sounds. The brilliant character actor Christopher Eccleston will be the new Doctor - that curious, inscrutable, vaguely unsettling alien time-traveller who defends humanity for his own whimsical reasons. Billie Piper will be his sidekick. Simon Pegg of Shaun Of The Dead will appear. There will be episodes set in the forties and the Victorian era. Simon Callow will be Charles Dickens who helps save the world from alien infestation. And there will be Daleks." (Thanks to Francis O'Dowd, John Bollan)




FILTER: - Press

New Year Location Filming

Monday, 10 January 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
We've received a brief report from the folks at TIMELESS, the Cardiff branch of the Doctor Who Appreciation Society, concerning filming in Cardiff this weekend on location for the new series. Click on the spoiler tags to check it out (with thanks to Timothy Farr for the info!)
On the afternoon of Sunday 9th January 2005, the two ends of Womanby Street (one in Quay Street and the other opposite Cardiff Castle) were sealed with traffic cones and security people in yellow reflective waistcoats. Shortly before 7pm, Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor and Billie Piper as Rose Tyler were performing a sequence in which they run into an alley off Womanby Street opposite The Gatekeeper pub. The alley was dressed with washing hanging to dry from lines between the buildings and looked not unlike the closing credits to 1960's editions of soap opera Coronation Street, albeit in colour. This prompted speculation among onlookers that these scenes are intended for the rumoured storyline in which Rose finds herself in a time when her deceased father was still alive. There was one strong overhead light source on set shining into the Alley from Womanby Street all evening, suggesting both a moonlit scene and that all shots being recorded were taking place in the Alley. There was a break in recording at 9pm and Billie Piper left at this time. Sources on set claim that recording is set to continue through until 3am.




FILTER: - Conventions