Submissions for Time Shadows 2

Monday, 23 January 2017 - Reported by Marcus

Pseudoscope Publishing is seeking submissions for the upcoming Time Shadows 2 short-story anthology to raise money for for charity.

Time Shadows 2 follows 2016’s successful Time Shadows which has already raised nearly $900 for the Enable Community Foundation. The book is edited by Stephen Hatcher (Time Shadows, Myth Makers, Short Trips), with Associate Editors Matt Grady (Time Shadows, Myth Makers, Short Trips) and John Davies (Time Shadows, Celestial Toyroom, Blake’s Heaven)

Time Shadows 2 Doctor Who short-story anthology

Over 2,000 years, the Doctor has worn many faces and led many lives. He has confronted some of the most dangerous creatures in the universe, and fought the demons that lurk within his own soul. Some fights he was won. Others have left his hearts broken.

The Doctor has held the Key to Time in his hands, and wielded a weapon that ended billions of lives in a single Moment. But he has also stopped to comfort a crying child, argued the virtue of a well-prepared meal, fallen in love, and experienced cities made of song.

An impossible man living an impossible life, running away from responsibility and into danger.

The stories of Time Shadows 2 will explore the past actions and future consequences of the Doctor, his friends and his enemies, and reflect on how they lived to fight another day.

The deadline for outlines for Time Shadows 2 is February 28, 2017. Submission guidelines available at the Pseudoscope Publishing website

Commissioned writers will receive a printed contributor’s copy of the anthology.

FILTER: - Books

Character Options 2017 Doctor Who products

Sunday, 22 January 2017 - Reported by Marcus

Character Options is to unveil a range of new Doctor Who figures and accessories for 2017. The new collection will be available from mid spring and is to be seen for the first time at London Toy Fair on Tuesday 24th January 2017.

Heading up the range is a number of articulated figures. Set in the classic 5.5 inch scaling each perfectly replicates some of the favourite characters, past and present, from the show.

The Tenth Doctor in Tuxedo, is packed in collectors packaging and comes with a figure and a Sonic Screwdriver. It is one of the most requested alternate outfits from fans; perfect to recreate scenes from “Rise of Cybermen” and “Voyage of the Damned!”

Added to this is the Tenth Doctor’s Sonic with lights and sounds. Fans of the Tenth Doctor will also be keen to get their hands on The Ninth and Tenth Doctor’s TARDIS Playset. With its motorised time rotor and pulsating lights. This this has an illuminated console with six control buttons, removable floor panels and flip up console panel.

Another Figure in the series is the Twelfth Doctor, as played by Peter Capaldi, in his Ninth Season hoodie and checked trousers outfit. This item also includes a new head sculpt and his brand new Sonic Screwdriver just in time for Season Ten. There is also the Twelfth Doctor in his Ninth Season Hoodie and Black Jumper outfit.

Finally, if you are looking for a Cyberman with a difference then enjoy the new Cyberman 7-inch Stretch toy. See the Doctors arch enemy stretched many times his size only to return back to his original shape and size once he is let loose.

Tenth Doctor Sonic Screwdriver (Credit: Character Options)

Journal_of_Impossible_Things_and_Master_Ring (Credit: Character Options)

Build your Own Sonic Screwdriver Set (Credit: Character Options)

Twelth Doctor Hoodie With Check Trousers (Credit: Character Options)

Twelth Doctor Grey Hoodie (Credit: Character Options)

Doctor Who_Tenth Doctor in Tuxedo (Credit: Character Options)

Tenth Doctor Electronic Tardis Playset (Credit: Character Options)

FILTER: - Character Options - Merchandise

Philip Bond 1934-2017

Saturday, 21 January 2017 - Reported by Marcus

The actor Philip Bond has died at the age of 82.

Philip Bond appeared in five episodes of the second Doctor Who story, The Daleks, first shown in 1963/4. He played the role of Ganatus, a member of the Thal expedition who traveled with Ian and Barbara on their expedition to enter the city via the mountains. During the journey, Ganatus witnessed the death of his brother, an experience which brought him closer to Barbara.

Bond was second choice for the role, cast when the original choice Dinsdale Landen became unavailable. He accepted immediately, being friends with both producer Verity Lambert and fellow actor William Russell.

Philip Bond had a prolific career in British Television, appearing in over 70 series over a 50 year period.

His best-known role was probably playing Albert Frazer in the 1970s BBC drama The Onedin Line, where he appeared in 24 episodes. Other roles included parts in Walk a Crooked Mile, 199 Park Lane, No Hiding Place, Sherlock Holmes, The Avengers, Justice, Z Cars, The Main Chance, The Children of the New Forest, An Englishman's Castle, Shoestring, Only Fools and Horses...., The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Casualty and Midsomer Murders.

Bond's was the father of the actress Samantha Bond who played Mrs Wormwood in The Sarah Jane Adventures.

Philip Bond died suddenly last Tuesday while on holiday on the island of Madeira. He is survived by his long-standing partner Elizabeth, his children Matthew, Samantha and Abigail and his Grandchildren.

Full Obituary. Toby Hadoke

FILTER: - Classic Series - Obituary

German DVD release of An Unearthly Child

Friday, 20 January 2017 - Reported by Pascal Salzmann

German release An Unearthly Child (Credit: WVG / Polyband)

German company Polyband is going to release An Unearthly Child on DVD. It will be Volume 1 of a new range called The Classic Episodes and be released on 28th April 2017.

The DVD will be identical to the UK version that was part of The Beginning boxed set, adding German subtitles to the features. Since the early serials have never been broadcast in Germany there is no German dubbing available for this story.

Polyband promotes the release with the following statement:

German: Ein nebeliger Abend, ein Polizist geht Streife in seinem Revier ... ein verlassener Schrottplatz ... und eine Polizei-Box, die geheimnisvoll surrt und brummt. Diese Bilder sind heute Kult. Sie sind die Anfänge einer Serie, die nun schon seit mehr als 50 Jahren produziert wird und Generationen von Zuschauern prägen sollte: DOCTOR WHO - AN UNEARTHLY CHILD ist der erste, aus 4 Teilen bestehende Handlungsbogen der Serie DOCTOR WHO und eröffnet die 1. Staffel. Die vier Folgen wurden erstmals zwischen dem 23. November und 14. Dezember 1963 ausgestrahlt. Mit brillantem Erzähltempo und erstaunlicher Überzeugungskraft lädt AN UNEARTHLY CHILD behutsam in die Welt von DOCTOR WHO ein. Bereits wenige Minuten nachdem man die sichere Umgebung der Coal Hill Schule verlassen hat, befindet man sich mit dem ersten Doktor (William Hartnell) sowie seiner Enkelin Susan (Carole Ann Ford) inmitten der ersten Reise durch Zeit und Raum mithilfe einer blauen Polizei-Box, der legendären TARDIS.

English: A foggy evening, a poilce officer walks around in his area... a junkyard... and a Police Box that makes strange mysterious noises. These pictures are cult today. They are the beginning of a TV show which is in production for over 50 years now and has impressed many generations of viewers: DOCTOR WHO - AN UNEARTHLY CHILD is the first four part serial of DOCTOR WHO and is the opening to the very first season. These four episodes were first broadcast between 23rd November and 14th December 1963. Featuring a brilliant pace and impressive imagination AN UNEARTHLY CHILD introduces you well to the world of DOCTOR WHO. After only minutes of leaving the safe environment of Coal Hill School you find yourself with the first Doctor (William Hartnell) and his grandchild Susan (Carole Ann Ford) travelling through space and time with the blue Police Box, the famous TARDIS.

FILTER: - Blu-ray/DVD - Classic Series - First Doctor - Germany

Rodney Bennett 1935-2017

Wednesday, 18 January 2017 - Reported by Marcus

The director Rodney Bennett has died at the age of 81

Rodney Bennett directed 10 episodes of Doctor Who.

His first outing was on the two part 1975 story The Sontaran Experiment, the first Doctor Who story to be filmed entirely as a Television Outside Broadcast. The production, filmed on Dartmoor, was disrupted when the leading actor, Tom Baker, broke his collarbone during filming, necessitating the actor wearing a neck brace under his scarf.

He returned to the studio for his next production The Ark In Space, which was shown before The Sontaran Experiment despite being filmed after it. The story is widely regarded as a classic, with both Russell T Davies and Steven Moffat citing the story as one of their favorites from the original run of the series. The story enjoyed some of the highest ratings in the programmes history, with 13.6 million tuning in for episode two.

Rodney Bennett's final story for Doctor Who was the 1976 story The Masque of Mandragora. Filmed largely at the welsh resort of Portmeirion, the story also marks the first appearance of the TARDIS' secondary console room.

Rodney Bennett had a long career with the BBC first working in Radio. He moved into Television in the late 1960's, working first in the Schools department. He happened to be in the right place when the regular Z-Cars director fell ill, giving him a chance to move into mainstream drama. He went on to work on such series as The Legend of King Arthur, Sense and Sensibility, Dombey & Son and Doctor Finlay.

In 1980 he directed the BBC Television Shakespeare version of Hamlet in which he cast Derek Jacobi as the eponymous Dane, alongside Patrick Stewart and Lalla Ward. In 1993 he directed the ITV production of The Darling Buds of May in which he cast a relative unknown called Catherine Zeta Jones.

He received two BAFTA nominations for Monsignor Quixote and The Legend of King Arthur.

Rodney Bennett was born March 1935, died January 2017.

You can read a full obituary by Toby Hadoke, who interviewed Rodney Bennett for the Big Finish Who's Round series, at tobyhadoke.com.

Toby has also compiled a tribute to those from the world of Doctor Who who died in 2016 which can be viewed on YouTube.

FILTER: - Classic Series - Obituary

Class Episode 3/4 Ratings

Tuesday, 17 January 2017 - Reported by Marcus

Class - Ep4 - Co-Owner Of A Lonely Heart - Ram (FADY ELSAYED), April (SOPHIE HOPKINS) (Credit: BBC/Simon Ridgeway)

Class Episode Three, Nightvisiting, had an audience of 0.84 million viewers for its debut on BBC One, according the unofficial overnight figures, a share of 9% of the total TV audience.

Although the ratings are slightly down on last week, the series did managed to rate higher than the other four main channels, with Newsnight on BBC Two getting 0.67 million and Through the Keyhole on ITV getting 0.61 million.

Episode Four, Co-Owner Of A Lonely Heart, which followed at 11.30pm had an audience of 0.28 million, a share of 5.1%. This episode was beaten by Tattoo Fixers on Channel 4 with 0.45 million and by Celebrity Big Brother on Five, with 0.42 million.

Class has been available on the BBC Three online channel since October. Last weeks transmission of Episodes 1 and 2 had Audience Appreciations figure of 70 and 71 respectivally.

Official consolidated figures will be available in two weeks time.

FILTER: - Class - Ratings - UK

New Ninth Doctor Comic

Tuesday, 17 January 2017 - Reported by Marcus

This week sees a new comic released, featuring the Ninth Doctor.

NINTH DOCTOR #9

Writer: Cavan Scott
Artist: Adriana Melo
Cover A: Chris Bolson Cover B: Will Brooks Photo Cover C: Matt Baxter

The Ninth Doctor, Rose, and Jack head to Brazil on the next stop of their transtemporal mystery tour. The Iara have long been thought a Brazilian myth, but when these unearthly mercreatures prove to be aquatic aliens making an unscheduled stop on planet Earth, the TARDIS team must establish their intentions and broker peace across the water barrier...!

NINTH DOCTOR #9 Preview_1 (Credit: Titan)

NINTH DOCTOR #9 Preview_2 (Credit: Titan)

NINTH DOCTOR #9 Preview_3 (Credit: Titan)

The comic is released Wednesday 18 January

FILTER: - Comics - Ninth Doctor

Lethbridge-Stewart: The HAVOC Files 3

Saturday, 14 January 2017 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Candy Jar Books have announced the third in its short story anthologies The HAVOC Files, bringing together tales from 2016 and brand new exclusive material:

The Bledoe Cadets and the Bald Man of Pengriffen by Tim Gambrell
The Last Duty by Christopher Bryant
Eve of the Fomorians by Robert Mammone
The Wishing Bazaar by Sharon Bidwell
The Feast of Evans by Simon A Forward
Home for Christmas by The Author Collective
Slouching Towards Det-Sen by Shaun Collins
Lucy Wilson by Sue Hampton
The Lost Skin: Episode Two by Andy Frankham-Allen

Head of Publishing, Shaun Russell said:

We always enjoy putting these collections together, but we’re nearing a point where we have less previously-released short stories. Fortunately, this gives us the opportunity to release brand new material, making this latest collection an even more sought after product.

Tim Gambrell previously won a competition to get a character named after him. Range Editor, Andy Frankham-Allen said:

It was inevitable that Tim would write for us, as he’s already sent us a short story previously and even a novel pitch. So, now that’s finally being published by us, I find myself in the odd position of a fictional character based on one of our authors. As such, part of The Lost Skin’s objectives is to write the character out of the series. Fortunately, he’s not appeared in the narrative of the novels since last year’s Moon Blink, which makes writing him out relatively easy.

Tim said:

When the Lethbridge-Stewart range was first announced I was really excited. There had been a decline in the volume of Doctor Who novels since 2005 and I welcomed anything else within that universe to help fill the void. I started to follow Andy and Candy Jar on social media to see if there might be opportunities to become involved somewhere along the line. As I recall Andy put out a Twitter request for any of his followers who would like to put their name to a character in a forthcoming book – Beast of Fang Rock as it turned out. I thought to myself ‘yeah, why not?’ and shoved my moniker in the mix. Some months later Tim Gambrell was in print as a scientist at the Vault. As time went on I realised that I’d been a bit hasty – Candy Jar were encouraging new writers to contribute to the range through their short story initiative; here was I, looking for opportunities and my name was already connected through a fictional character. Tim Gambrell couldn’t be both sides of the pen, could he? Andy was brilliant though. He allowed me to submit a story which, thankfully, he liked enough to ask me to develop further story ideas – one of which became The Bledoe Cadets and the Bald Man of Pengriffen. Aware of the conflict of names, I originally offered to use a pseudonym (which I’ve done in the theatre before) but he came up with another solution.

The germ of The Bald Man of Pengriffen was Andy looking for a Famous Five-type story featuring a young Alistair and the Bledoe Cadets (as mentioned in The Forgotten Son). Conveniently enough I’d recently revisited Enid Blyton’s Adventurous Four books from childhood so I knew the kinds of japes and scrapes to aim for – although I was keen for the story to be less cosy than those of Blyton’s world. We discussed a few story ideas but the Bald Man seemed to tick the most boxes – particularly because Andy likes fougous! And by writing a story about the Brigadier as a small boy, I totally avoid any times and situations that could potentially include my namesake.

Talking about her new short story, Lucy Wilson, Sue Hampton said:

I'm old enough now to appreciate the importance of family history, of roots and echoes, and genes at work in lives. For every great black-and-white hero that passed away there's a living successor, connected by love and spirit but completely herself. In this story we see an old man who wasn't much good at family, but who recognises a direct line to a curly-haired, fearless little girl hungry for stories of aliens. And we meet Lucy Wilson, who has been denied his name along with the truth about who her beloved grandad used to be. Now, before he dies, Sir Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart needs to make sure Lucy understands both her heritage and her extraordinary future.

Shaun Collins, one of the trimvurate that form the podcasters Traveling the Vortex, joins the collection with a story focused on Professor Travers. He said:

After prodding Andy for information about Candy Jar's method for soliciting writers and clumsily inserting myself into said method with a few pitches that he quite rightly shot down, he suggested writing something with Professor Travers returning to Det-Sen. With the professor rapidly became my one of my favorite supporting characters from the series, how could I say no? It was fun inserting him into the thick of James Bond-style danger, watching as he – just as clumsily as my initial pitch – is ensnared by nefarious villains. When Andy told me my short would form the opening prologue for his next novel, I was beyond ecstatic… And immediately began to worry about the safety of the professor. After all, he's getting up there in years now, and just what did I set him up for?

Slouching Towards Det-Sen also serves as a teaser for the next Lethbridge-Stewart novel, Night of the Intelligence, out in the spring of 2017.

The collection also includes the second part of the three-part novella, The Lost Skin (the first part appeared in the second volume of The Havoc Files. This is again written by Andy Frankham-Allen, who said:

Originally it was planned to be a straight-up novella, not a part-work. I’m not sure I’m keen on this way of writing, as I like to edit and polish as I go along. Since episode one was published months ago, I no longer have the luxury of editing the first third of the story. It presents a unique challenge for me, one I’m taking by the horns. As a result some of my original plans for the story have changed, but luckily the characters are happy to help me along and take the story in surprising paths.

The HAVOC Files 3 is only available to pre-order direct from the Candy Jar Store, with a strictly limited-print run.

FILTER: - Books - Candy Jar Books - Lethbridge-Stewart - Merchandise

Big Finish - Short Stories Update

Saturday, 14 January 2017 - Reported by Marcus

A Heart on Both Sides (Credit: Big Finish)

Big Finish have announced two new Short Stories exploring some small but important chapters in the Eighth Doctor's involvement with the Time War...

With the universe fracturing around him in the crossfire of the Time War, the Eighth Doctor has turned his back on his people, choosing to help those suffering from their actions. But what happens when events of the Time War touch upon those he's known and cared for? Two new Doctor Who Short Trips in the Autumn of 2017 explore what it means for former companions when Time War influences reach their lives...

Producer Ian Atkins comments

I'm hugely looking forward to this year's The Eighth Doctor - The Time War boxed set, and that made me think about celebrating the release with a special pair of Short Trips in the months before. While the stories aren't connected to the boxed set directly, they do mark a special couple of tales, so we've got some striking, distinctive designs from Tom Saunders for them, and we're able to announce them nice and early.

In September comes Rob Nisbet's A Heart on Both Sides, read by Sarah Sutton:

After her medical work on Terminus, Nyssa is now the controller of a hospital ship, the Traken. As the universe burns in the crossfire of the Time War, she and her assistant travel to a planet close to Gallifrey where they are needed more than ever. A long time ago, Nyssa knew a Time Lord and understood his people. But it seems they can change...

Ian Atkins comments:

Rob wrote a gorgeous story called The Patient for a fanzine I saw in the 1980s, with Nyssa at work in a post-Terminus hospital. With my Time War goggles on, it struck me that could be a very rich area to play with, and I've loved Sarah's work for the range already so I knew she'd rise to the occasion (and she did). Rob's delivered a wonderful take on the madness and confusion that arises when you get caught up in a war that's not your own.

The second story follows in October: All Hands on Deck by Eddie Robson, read by Carole Ann Ford:

Everyone, Susan Campbell cared about has gone. Most of them died in the second Dalek invasion, and her grandfather never visits. She's living in what used to be Coal Hill School, helping Earth rebuild again.

Then, one night, she's called away to help with an emergency. A piece of appropriated Dalek technology is malfunctioning, and everyone's afraid of what it might do...

This is just the first in a sequence of predicaments facing Susan - and the connection between them will shape the rest of her life.

Atkins added

When we had Sheridan Smith return to the Eighth Doctor era in The Curse of the Fugue, It had made me think about the Doctor meeting his granddaughter Susan again anyway, so the ideas just seemed to come together when I was thinking about the Time War. I was a huge fan of Eddie Robson's Eight Doctor writing, and I was over the moon when he agreed to revisit the era. He knows the characters so, so well and with strong character pieces like the Short Trips, that's exactly what you want. Listening to Carole Ann in studio is always a joy. She works so hard at it, with a great attention to detail.

Also confirmed are three other releases: August's The British Invasion by Ian Potter read by Wendy Padbury, November's The Ingenious Gentleman Adric of Alzarius by Julian Richards read by Matthew Waterhouse, and the first 2018 release - The Authentic Experience read by Nicola Bryant, written by Dan Starkey. prices.

Full details of all Big Finish Doctor Who releases can be found in the Doctor Who Guide.

FILTER: - Big Finish - Eighth Doctor

Doctor Who Magazine 508

Thursday, 12 January 2017 - Reported by Marcus

Doctor Who Magazine Issue 508 is a special issue looking back to the show's groviest decade, the 1970's.

The magaizine has brought together actress Katy Manning, who played Jo Grant alongside the third Doctor, with one of her biggest fans, Doctor Who writer and actor Mark Gatiss. Gatiss remembers the first time he saw Katy on screen in her début adventure, 1971's Terror of the Autons…

Mark: “I remember it as if it were yesterday. I have very, very particular memories of those first few stories. I was so frightened of that little troll doll –”

Katy: “It’s still pretty ghastly. (Shudders) It had pointed teeth, and the way it walked –”

Mark: “I was four years old. Your early memories tend to be either something amazing, or something very traumatic. Usually traumatic.”

Katy: “But it was an extraordinary episode. I loved it as an introduction, because Jo was quite different. She was just ordinary, really. She had no special talents. You watch Jo, literally straight out of school, saying, ‘I didn’t say I passed,’ [in response to the Doctor’s ‘I thought you took an A-level in Science?’] – which I thought was a great line to give anybody!”

Mark: “It’s absolutely true to say that everybody has their Doctor and their time, and I just can’t remember there not being a time when Jon and Katy were it for me. I revisit them often, especially in trouble times – or on wintery afternoons. Like I did the other day. ‘Ooh, I think I might have a glass of sherry and a mince pie, and watch Planet of the Daleks, because it’ll make me feel good.’ I know I sound like I’m about a hundred years old –”

Katy: “Leave that to me. (Laughs) But she was very young, Jo, which was so lucky, because I got to grow up. The writers were very clever. They saw I was growing up, so Jo grew up with me.”

Mark: “And I grew up with Jo.”

Also Inside This Issue…