Australian ratings for The Snowmen

Thursday, 27 December 2012 - Reported by Adam Kirk

The Snowmen has debuted in Australia, averaging 697,000 viewers in the five major capital cities. It came second in its time-slot, was the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's top-rating drama of the day and the twelfth highest rating programme of the day overall. These ratings do not include regional or time-shifted viewers.

Media Links: TV Tonight

FILTER: - Ratings - Broadcasting - Series 7/33 - Australia

The Snowmen - Overnight Viewing Figures

Wednesday, 26 December 2012 - Reported by Marcus

The Doctor and gang anxiously await the Overnights

The Snowmen had an overnight audience of 7.59 million viewers, a share of 33.9% of the total TV audience.

Doctor Who was the fifth most-watched programme of the day, which saw BBC One take seven of the top ten places in the ratings chart. The most watched programme of the day was EastEnders which had 9.4 million watching.

ITV1's highest rated show of the day was Coronation Street with 8.6 million viewers.

Doctor Who was down on last year's overnight figure, which saw the show transmitted in a much later time slot, where it had 8.9 million watching. This year, against the Doctor, Emmerdale achieved 4.7 million viewers.

Despite its early start, Doctor Who out-rated some prime time shows including the Christmas episode of Downton Abbey and Call The Midwife.

Final figures, which will include those who record the programme and watch it later, will be available next week.

FILTER: - Ratings - UK - Series 7/33

The Snowmen: Behind the Scenes

Wednesday, 26 December 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster

The BBC have released a behind-the-scenes video that explores the making of The Snowmen. The confidentialette looks at how modern-day Bristol was transformed into Victorian London, with observations by Jenna-Louise Coleman (Clara), Matt Smith (The Doctor), Saul Metzstein (director) and Caroline Skinner (executive producer).

The clip joins a number that have been released over the course of December, including interviews with Jenna, Dan Starkey (Strax) and Richard E Grant (Dr Simeon).

Clara's First Christmas - Behind-the-scenes (YouTube/BBC iPlayer)
Matt Smith and Jenna-Louise Coleman on The Snowmen (YouTube/BBC iPlayer)
The Matt Smith Christmas Show (BBC iPlayer)
Dan Starkey on the return of Strax (BBC iPlayer)
Richard E Grant on The Christmas Special (BBC iPlayer)
Jenna-Louise Coleman - Becoming the Companion (BBC iPlayer)
Jenna-Louise Coleman - Becoming the Companion Part Two (BBC iPlayer)

Watch The Snowmen (UK only) (BBC iPlayer)
Coming Soon (BBC iPlayer)

FILTER: - Online - Series Specials - Series 7/33 - BBC

The Snowmen: publicity coverage

Monday, 24 December 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Jenna-Louise Coleman was a guest on BBC Breakfast this morning, chatting about her impending arrival as Clara in tomorrow's The Snowmen, and how this relates to her previous appearance back in September, in Asylum of the Daleks:

The Clara you will meet in the Christmas Special is living in Victorian London, working in a pub, also living a bit of a double life as a governess looking after some children ...

We've already met Oswin in Asylym of the Daleks ... Basically it's what been referred to as "a soft mystery", and if anybody's hoping to get any answers ... it's something that will be ongoing for quite a while and in true Steven Moffat style you won't really get any answers in the Christmas Special, it will just raise more questions, and get more and more complicated and fascinating.

In a pre-recorded interview with entertainment correspondent Liza Mzimba, she said:

It's a mystery. I've met the Doctor once before, which he doesn't quite know yet, and it all begins to piece together and I keep popping up ...

Talking about the interaction between her character and the Doctor, she said:

It's been a really interesting process for me and for Matt how a new companion will change the Doctor and vice-versa, and trying to find our dynamic and how we're going to move forward with the show. It's been really interesting, like Matt said, the kind of days where he would be discovering things and finding ways in which the Doctor is changing and is different with his new companion.

Matt Smith mentioned the relationship between the two to Lizo:

They're figuring each other out, and it's just wonderful to see it at the start, because it reinvogorates the show. You see these two people meeting, and sussing each other out - so it's about learning how they get on together, and seeing them size each other up.

I think there's always a bit of sexual tension between the Doctor and the companion ... so I hope so!

Matt Smith was interviewed in The Independent, where he also commented on the new relationship:

The Doctor under Amy and Rory eventually became like their pet, he was just this sort of strange pet that could talk, that would sweep in every now and then. He's meeting someone new because he presents himself in a hew light and she forces him to be a different version of himself slightly.

As always with Doctor Who, the essence and heartbeat of the show is the same – old alien, hot chick travel through the universe and get into capers. That will always be the heartbeat of the show and it's whether it’s more flirtatious, whether there's more attraction, whether there's more zing, you'll have to wait and find out. I’m sure we'll cover all that territory.

He also explained a little more about the Doctor's grief at the start of the episode:

There's a great deal of time that's passed in cunning story terms. It's great because you kind of go: "500 years later..." but the burden of that loss will always be with him. Like the burden of losing Rose Tyler or whoever it is – is always with him to some extent. But I think particularly for my Doctor it is. Amy and Rory were so significant. But what I would say as well is I always think it's important for the show for that grieving to have its place but move on. I felt it affected Martha's journey quite a lot that he was always talking about Rose, which is completely understandable, because the Tenth Doctor and Rose had such a wonderful connection but the show has to propel forward back into adventure mode.

Videos:

Lizo Mzimba's preview of The Snowmen is available to watch on the BBC News website. The BBC have also released an interview with Matt and Jenna as part of their Adventure Calendar.

Matt Smith and Jenna-Louise Coleman on the Doctor Who website (YouTube/BBC iPlayer)
Jenna-Louise Coleman on BBC Breakfast (BBC iPlayer)

FILTER: - Matt Smith - Animation - Series Specials - Press - Jenna-Louise Coleman - Series 7/33

The Snowmen: At Your Service!

Monday, 24 December 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster

The latest teaser clip from the BBC features Vastra, Jenny and Dr Simeon ...

At Your Service! (YouTube/BBC iPlayer)
Don't Talk To Them ... (YouTube/BBC iPlayer)

The Director speaks ...

Director Saul Metzstein was interviewed by the Scottish Daily Record, during which he discussed the new-look TARDIS and making a 360° pan around the interior:

It's the shot where you can really see that the TARDIS is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside ... Because of the shape of the set and the studio, it was pretty tricky to pull off, but visual effects are a lot better than they used to be. The biggest complication was giving Matt Smith enough time to acquaint himself with where all the dials and levers were. Obsessive Doctor Who fans, like [writer] Steven Moffat, are very particular about the continuity of which bits turn round when the TARDIS is flying, and what lights react to what. Personally I'm not so bothered.

Talking about the design of the eponymous Snowmen, he said:

The snowmen were pretty difficult to get right. The ones we started off with looked like Zippy from Rainbow, and you can't have non-scary, almost cute-looking monsters. We were very amused when we saw the John Lewis snowman advert – I guess we've made their evil cousins!

FILTER: - Online - Series Specials - Series 7/33

The Snowmen: Don't Talk To Them ...

Saturday, 22 December 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster

The BBC have released a new teaser clip for The Snowmen as today's festive treat from the Adventure Calendar:

Don't Talk To Them ... (YouTube/BBC iPlayer)

FILTER: - Online - Series Specials - Series 7/33

The Snowmen: publicity roundup

Saturday, 22 December 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster

A roundup of coverage for The Snowmen that has taken place in the past week or so - please note that what follows below includes some plot details that might be considered spoilers.

Interviews:

Steven Moffat was a guest on the Simon Mayo Drivetime show on BBC Radio Two on Monday. Talking about Doctor Who's appeal on Christmas Day, he felt the show's accessibility as a "shared live viewing experience" was a great benefit:

... much more so with the Christmas one than with the others, yes, there's a big live audience for it - because, yeah, you watch it as a family. Sometimes people actually watch it later, because their family aren't there - people tend to watch it in groups, that's very true of Doctor Who.

I think Doctor Who is always a bit Christmassy, it's that kind of show, it always feels substantially madder than every other show, and we're always striving to make it an event - so you have to make Doctor Who even more so when it's Christmas Day. One thing I'd say I think it needs to be more accessible to new viewers, because more people are dragged in to watch Doctor Who on that day than on any other occasion it's on.

Talking about an initially melancholy Doctor in the episode, he explained:

What you need to remember is that the last time we saw the Doctor he had lost the Ponds - he lost Amy and Rory - he lost them to the Weeping Angels, and when you begin this story he's in a terrible place, he's in a right old grump, he's retired from saving the universe, he's having nothing to do with anyone, and although there's a building threat to humanity he's having none of it, he's just storming away being a sort of Scrooge.

The full interview is currently available to listen to via a BBC podcast (from 12:50) until Monday.

Ahead of the press screening on Tuesday evening, Matt Smith and Jenna-Louise Coleman popped into the BBC Radio One Breakfast Show hosted by Nick Grimshaw. The duo chatted about their recent trip to New York and Jenna's arrival in the show (1:36:45), and later answered listeners' questions (1:52:55, and a clip is available to watch via the BBC iPlayer and YouTube).

Matt later appeared on ITV1's This Morning (after the first ad break), hosted by Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby - the first time he'd appeared on the show. He chatted about his inspirations for the character of the Doctor, the enthusiasm of fans, things he kept from the old TARDIS, and of course not really saying what to expect on Christmas Day! Enthusing about guest star Richard E Grant, he said:

He was born to be a Who villain, he pitches it on that perfect level and tone.

The end of the week was rounded off by an appearance by Matt on The Graham Norton Show, but although this was to promote the Christmas Special, as Matt pointed out:

As always, I can't tell you anything, this is the tragedy of the show I'm in is that you come on and you can't actually promote it!

Recorded last month, the show was still able to treat viewers to a brand new clip featuring the Doctor, Clara and Strax.

Norton mentioned that fellow guests Billy Connolly and Jennifer Saunders had once been suggested as potential Doctors, though the former said it wasn't true and the latter said she started the rumours herself!

Matt was also 'required' to kiss a member of the audience by other guest Dustin Hoffman, which the actor only reluctantly agreed to as his mum was watching! A clip of this exchange is available on YouTube and BBC iPlayer.

Matt Smith and Jenna-Louise Coleman on The Radio 1 Breakfast Show with Nick Grimshaw, 18 Dec 2012

Matt Smith on The Graham Norton Show, 21 Dec 2012

UK Press Screening:

The press screening for the episode took place in the evening of 18th December, followed by a Q&A session with Steven Moffat, Matt Smith and Jenna-Louise Coleman, during which the adventure and the further adventures next year were discussed.

As seen in the trailer, the Doctor once again gets a firm kiss from his co-star, and speaking at the Q&A of their on-screen "relationship", Matt said:

I think always with this show and always with this relationship in this show, it will constantly evolve. And it should. And hopefully over the course of the next eight or nine episodes that we see subsequently to this it will evolve even further. We're excited about next year now and getting into that and actually going, "Well, now we know what we know about each other and the way we work and who we are and all the rest of it..." I kind of likened it, Steven, earlier, in an interview, to an arranged marriage. Not that I know what an arranged marriage is like. But it's like, "You're married, have chemistry." Do you know what I mean?

On the other hand, Jenna responded:

I likened it to a blind date. I felt like I was on a blind date... It's like putting two people together. Like, "Oh I know someone you'll really get on with." And then go in to save the world!

The Doctor (Matt Smith) with the new TARDIS interior. Photo: BBC

The new TARDIS interior was also discussed, with Steven explaining how it came about:

It was mainly saying to Michael Pickwoad (production designer), "What would you do with the TARDIS?" But we had a notion because I thought we'd been getting progressively whimsical with the interior of the TARDIS. And I started to think, "Well, why is that? It's not a magical place, it's actually a machine." So we did say 'machine' and actually, potentially, as you'll see more spectacularly later, quite a scary place sometimes. We make a lot of use of that. And it's also a lot easier to shoot, I have to say.”

Inevitably, the question of where the team would travel to in the TARDIS came up:

Matt: I'd do a few things. I’d go and pick up Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe. I'd try and marry one of them. Get them to sing to me. And maybe one of them could do both. And then I'd go and see England win the World Cup in '66. And I'd go and visit some sort of Jurassic age, I think.

Jenna: I'd go back to ancient Egypt. I was watching a TV programme – where did the pyramids come from? I'd go find out where they came from. I'd go find out how they were built. And then other than that, maybe New York in the Twenties.

Steven: I'm a perfectly happy man. I'd go right here. I don't want to go anywhere. I'm having too much fun to leave. I'd be terrified. Wouldn't you?

With thanks to Ian Wylie for Q&A coverage - you can read his full report here.

"The Kiss":

The BBC have released a couple of publicity shots to "cherish" the moment(!):

The Doctor (Matt Smith) and Clara (Jenna-Louise Coleman). Photo: BBC

Media Coverage (United Kingdom):

Reporting on the preview, Catherine Gee of The Telegraph said:

For all its new features, this is an episode filled with knowing nods to please Who fans, including a reference drawn from elsewhere in the Moffat catalogue, and the return of some of the Doctor’s old friends in the shape of Strax, Vastra and Jenny. Dr Simeon's ominous warning that "winter is coming" also suggests that Moffat may be a Game of Thrones fan. . . . It's not quite as action-packed as previous specials but compared with the other sedate period Christmas Day offerings of Call the Midwife and Downton Abbey, or the impending apocalypse-free episodes of The Royle Family and Strictly Come Dancing, this festive instalment of the sci-fi series will give the post-dinner snoozers a much-needed boost.

Vicky Frost of The Guardian said:

New music, new titles, a fetching new costume, sleek new Tardis interior and, most of all, a new companion, make this year's festive Doctor Who special filled with surprises. . . . It is not as if the 60-minute Christmas special – which perhaps controversially comes sprinkled with a seasonal splash of romance – is unambitious: among the co-stars is Richard E Grant as the deliciously wicked Dr Simeon, a man dreaming of a white Christmas.

Jenna explained a little of her character to Neela Debnath from The Independent:

I think it's one of these things where she meets this guy that she's incredibly interested in and by and wants to know more but there's also something - he has answers that she wants. She wants answers. She's on her own mission. (Clara) is the kind of girl who lives by her own means, she doesn't need other people as much to get by, so she's a bit more of an equal. As soon as she meets him - and he's not the kind of guy that you meet every day - she's interested and wants to know who he is and where he's come from and she doesn't give up and follows that track.

Further coverage of the press screening can be found from the Daily Mail, Evening Standard and Western Mail.

Reviewing the episode, Jonathan Carley of What Culture said:

Put simply, The Snowmen makes the Christmas Special feel fresh again, so much so it may as well be vacuum packed and wrapped with foil. So the firm underpinning of a good script is there, and I can tell you this will reward repeat viewing afterwards to reassess the intricacies of the plot. I myself am looking forward to re-watching on Christmas day if my family can tolerate my smugness. But there is also plenty going on to keep you entertained if you're feeling quite relaxed about it.

Simon Brew of Den of Geek concluded:

The Snowmen certainly bodes very well for the year ahead. It’s a lower key story on the surface, perhaps, albeit an episode that proves once again Moffat's skill for introducing major new characters. It's also an excellent Christmas special, and quite a serious one. And whereas seasonal outings for Doctor Who have proven quite divisive in recent years, we suspect this one is going to have a lot more people on its side. It's very much worth your time.

The Telegraph interviewed Jenna-Louise Coleman while on set last month and chatted about her career leading up to becoming the latest Doctor Who sidekick. In addition, Digital Spy have conducted video interviews with Steven Moffat about writing his third Christmas Special and and how to entice a new audience to the show, and with Matt and Jenna chatting about the Special.

Other general media coverage of The Snowmen include: Daily Mail; Daily Mail(2); The Sun; Independent; Metro; Mirror; Daily Star, and Radio Times.

Media Coverage (United States):

The United States press had their own screening in New York earlier in the month. Alex Zalvin of MTV reported:

This is probably the second best Christmas episode ever after 2010’s superlative A Christmas Carol. Since the latter episode is probably my favourite episode of Who ever, that's certainly putting it in high company. The episode is laugh out loud funny, emotional, and more importantly, captures the spirit of the holidays.

There's a beautiful sequence about halfway through that might be one of the most magical, storybook creations the show has ever done, more on par with a stage play than a TV show, but by golly, it works.

Jenna-Louise Coleman is a brilliant, perfect addition to the cast. Her patter, delivery, and whole demeanor make her a female Matt Smith, and it's brilliant. She matches him line for line, move for move, and if you’re not in love with her by the end of the episode...well...you’ll be in love with her.

Other coverage of the press screening appeared in: Wall Street Journal; io9; Forbes; and Huffington Post.

At an interview held at the BBC America offices (reported by CNN), Jenna was quizzed about her experiences of entering the very public world of Doctor Who:

You see "it" everywhere and you're used to it, like I was used to seeing Matt's face all over the place. But, when I was auditioning, being sat on the Tube and you see the posters, and it was always like he was pointing at me. There's not very much time to analyze as you go. It is only now that I feel like I've just been playing with all my mates for the last couple of months, and then suddenly, I'm like, "but people are going to see this," you know?

"This" life is so exciting on a daily basis. Everything's so dramatic every day, and it's the end of the world every week. You're either running or there's a snow machine or rain machine, or you're in a harness and you're on wires. ... On an off day, I find that I get bored quickly, like, "Where's the Cybermen?"

Jenna also revealed that she had auditioned for the show before, and what her grandmother thought!

I auditioned for Amy's best mate in it, and was pretty close to getting the part, and my grandma was absolutely devastated I didn't. So, we came back around, and I don't think she can believe it, actually. It is quite surreal for her, and she's quite looking forward to meeting Matt.

As previously reported, Matt and Jenna also undertook a Q&A for BBC America's Doctor Who Tumblr, fielding questions from the social networking community.

With Doctor Who having made the cover of TV Guide this December, the magazine also spoke to the two stars about their first jobs, what they do in their free time, their favourite current and childhood television shows, awkward moments, and what stands out for them in the Christmas Special.

Entertainment Weekly discuss Doctor Who and The Snowmen in their latest InsideTV podcast. Other US-based coverage included: Miami Herald; Tulsa World; San-Antonio Express; and Winston-Salem Journal; Seattle Times.

FILTER: - Steven Moffat - Matt Smith - Series Specials - Press - Jenna-Louise Coleman - Series

Vastra Investigates on the BBC Red Button

Thursday, 20 December 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster

The BBC have made the Doctor Who pre-Snowmen minisode Vastra Investigates available on television via the Red Button service.

Times currently announced are:

Thursday	7:30pm-8:55pm
Thursday	10:30pm-Midnight
Friday	Midnight-6:00am
Friday	9:00pm-Midnight
Saturday	Midnight-6:00am
Saturday	6:00pm-6:30pm
Saturday	7:55pm-8:50pm
Saturday	10:05pm-Midnight
Sunday	Midnight-1:25am
Monday	7:00pm-Midnight
Tuesday	Midnight-6:00am
Tuesday	3:00pm-5:15pm

The service is available on Freeview, Freesat, Sky and Virgin Media.

FILTER: - Series Specials - Series 7/33 - BBC

DVD Update

Wednesday, 19 December 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster

An update on recent DVD announcements and developments.

The Legacy Collection:

The Region Two covers for January's DVD release of The Legacy Collection have been released:

The Legacy Collection: More Than 30 Years In The TARDIS

The Ark in Space (Special Edition):

Additional extras have now been classified by the BBFC for the release of The Ark in Space:

00:27:34:20 DR. FOREVER! - NOT AS SEEN ON BBC TV - LOVE AND WAR
00:07:33:05 (SCENE AROUND SIX)
00:00:34:14 (EASTER EGG)
00:01:08:23 (ROBOT 8MM LOCATION FILM)

Scene Around Six is a presentation of the Northern Ireland film footage of Tom Baker visiting a school which was recently found and broadcast last year as part of Those Were The Days. Doctor Forever is the first of a five-part series by James Goss, taking a look at Doctor Who in different media.

The Region One details also report the inclusion of The Doctor Who Technical Manual as a PDF, plus tie-in promotional materials for Crosse & Blackwell, and Nestlé.

The Green Death (Special Edition):

During a DVD range discussion at last weekend's Midnight convention it was revealed that the fifth Special Edition DVD release for 2013 will be the Third Doctor story The Green Death. Originally released on a single disc, the revisited two-disc edition will enable the story to be presented in higher quality than before, and will include a full-length documentary by Chris Chapman. Revised production notes will be provided by Richard Bignell.

As a bonus, the DVD will also include the reunion of Josephine Jones née Grant with the Doctor in The Sarah Jane Adventures story Death of the Doctor, which includes a commentary with the writer Russell T Davies and Jo herself, Katy Manning.

Terror of the Zygons:

The latest edition of Doctor Who Magazine confirms that Terror of the Zygons will have a production-oriented commentary, featuring Robert Banks Stewart (writer), Philip Hinchcliffe (producer), George Gallacio (production unit manager), Sylvia James (make-up), and Dick Mills (special sound), presided over by audio restoration producer Mark Ayres.

The Tenth Planet / The Ice Warriors:

Talking to Radio Free Skaro earlier in the year about The Tenth Planet and The Ice Warriors, Steve Roberts said: "I don't think that either of those are actually into animation production at the moment, but certainly we have transferred the existing episodes of both of those stories and will be restoring them fully, with the expectation that there will be animations, presumably, to intertwine."

The classification of the trailer for The Ice Warriors earlier this month certainly indicates that this story looks likely to be released next year. Whether this will feature animated versions of the missing episodes two and three has yet to be announced, but both it and The Tenth Planet are expected to have their original VHS telesnap reconstructions included in the releases.

It is also hoped that the original Michael Craze introductions recorded for The Tenth Planet will also be included (Steve Roberts noted that the introductions by Carole Ann Ford for The Reign of Terror were excluded from that release due to space limitations on the disc).

FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD