TV Zone 179 CommentsBookmark and Share

Tuesday, 27 July 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
The latest issue of TV Zone Magazine is out and features interviews with Russell T. Davies and designer Bryan Hitch. In his interview, Davies comments on the glut of rumors surrounding the new show. "I did see that one rumour in the Guardian about Cabinet members who became alien when they lied, or something," he notes, "which was hardly credible, since the disguise wouldn't last long! It does seem some rumours get so strong that the production team is asked to make an official statement, which I'm absolutely refusing to do. Comment on nonsense, and you give that nonsense an official status. No chance!" He also waxes on plans for historical adventures ("No, none at all. Which doesn't rule it out for the future, if the right idea came along"), regeneration ("I think it would be lovely if fan fiction, or the other versions of Doctor Who - print, audio or whatever - came up with that") and scheduling ("This was never conceived as a 9.00 show. Not in 1963, and certainly not now..."). He also discusses the influence of Buffy on the new series, and specifically the character of Rose: "She hasn't got superpowers or a secret destiny. At least not yet. I just used Buffy as an example of a well-written modern leading female role." Davies also noted the choice of writers for this first season: "We considered lots of people, some Who writers, some not... every single writer is a fine writer in his own right; that's the only thing that matters! Bear in mind that a lot of people had to approve of these names, all sorts of Heads of Drama - and the existence of a Virgin novel or whatever wouldn't mean that much to them! ... just you wait 'til you see their work!" Hitch, meanwhile, discusses the influences on his design work ("Everything from blown glass to high architecture has given us ideas...") and discusses budget restrictions: "We have all been allowed to think about how it should look. How we want it to be and then working out a way to do it within budget rather than letting the budget dictate the look... we are getting pretty close to what we want." The new issue of TV Zone is now on sale. (Thanks to Steve Tribe)




FILTER: - Russell T Davies - Series 1/27

Davison's Distant ShoresBookmark and Share

Sunday, 25 July 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Peter Davison opened a fundraising day at a North East lifeboat station on July 24, according to the Newcastle Evening Chronicle. Davison was joined by actress Samantha Bond, with whom he's filming a new ITV comedy, "Distant Shores." The fundraising event is for maintenance of the lifeboat station, which features in the series.




FILTER: - Peter Davison

Ghost Light in AustraliaBookmark and Share

Sunday, 25 July 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Roadshow has confirmed that the next UK DVD release Ghost Light will make its way down to Australia in February 2005 (and likely New Zealand very shortly thereafter). While the 'Lost in Time' collection has been announced in the UK and US, it is yet to be confirmed in Australia; they expect a confirmation very soon. (And note the 4 month gap between Leisure Hive & Ghost Light!) (Thanks to Dwayne Bunney)




FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

Late Week Press ClipsBookmark and Share

Sunday, 25 July 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Everyone's jumped on the bandwagon with the new TARDIS. The Mirror (July 23) ran a piece on the TARDIS being spotted in Cardiff. Says the South Wales Echo (July 22), "As filming for the revival series of Doctor Who takes to the city"s streets, rumours are flying that the traditional exterminating enemy has been replaced by an army of suave but evil mannequins." The Echo also noted on July 23, "Drinkers in Cardiff might have been alarmed to find their favourite watering hole had been take over by the police. But there was no need to worry - it's all in the name of Dr Who. The back door of the Toad at the Exhibition bar in Working Street, Cardiff city centre, was transformed into the front door of a police station for filming of the all-new Doctor Who series. Large blue stickers with white lettering reading Police were stuck in the windows of the bar which faces St David's Centre, and a sign hanging from the outside wall was covered with a police banner. Half of the bar was closed on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, and last night, to accommodate the crew."

The Manchester Evening News got into it on July 24: "It may be forty years since blue police boxes were last seen on the streets, but Dr Who fans were celebrating after catching a glimpse of one still in perfect working order," said the paper. "Viewers had been worried that the doctor's antiquated time and space machine might be axed along with the Daleks who fell victim to a legal wrangle between the Beeb and late creator Terry Nation's estate. But the refitted and repainted TARDIS - which stands for Time and Relative Dimension in Space - materialised next to a shopping centre where the Time Lord's new adventures are being shot."

An article entitled "Doctor Who Mania: Why the Brits are taking this quirky Sci-Fi revival so seriously" at ElitesTV notes that "'Doctor Who' mania has surged again since the announcement that BBC Wales will begin filming the revival this summer. ... Fans of the classic show are waiting to see a fresh cast take on the task of recreating one of BritainÆs favorite stories. However, changes to the show and its characters are inevitable. The new version will have an edgier, more emotional Doctor and a sexy new assistant. Unfortunately for fans, the Daleks, Doctor WhoÆs most feared enemies and voted the most evil villains on television by British TV viewers, wonÆt be returning for the new show. Negotiations over issues of creative control between the BBC and the estate of creator Terry Nation have resulted in a Dalekless series. Nevertheless, the writers are confident they can provide Doctor Who aficionados with new foes to feast on." Read the full article at the website.




FILTER: - Press

Lost in Time: UKBookmark and Share

Sunday, 25 July 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Galaxy 4 have sent us a thumbnail of the cover of the UK edition of the DVD release of The Lost in Time Collection; click on it for a slightly larger version. We hope to bring you the final cover illustration shortly. (Thanks to Galaxy 4)




FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

About TimeBookmark and Share

Sunday, 25 July 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Mad Norwegian Press will be releasing a new six-volume Doctor Who reference guide. About Time by Lawrence Miles and Tat Wood, will "focus on the tenure of one the actors who portrayed the Doctor, with the eras of Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGannùdue to their relatively short stays with the programùcombined into a single volume. ... In addition to the usual concerns such as the TV showÆs continuity (alien races, the DoctorÆs abilities, etc.) and lore (anecdotal, "Did You Know?"-style material), Miles and Wood will examine each story in the context of the year/historical period it was produced, determining just how topical the stories were. Along those lines, each About Time volume will include several essays on a myriad of comprehensive Doctor Who topics such as 'When are the UNIT stories set?' 'WhatÆs the Timeline of the Earth Empire?', 'How believable is the British Space Programme?' and 'Just How Chauvinistic is Doctor Who?'" The first volume, about Jon Pertwee's era, will be published in October; subsequent volumes include Tom Baker (November), Peter Davison (December), Colin Baker/Sylvester McCoy/Paul McGann (February), William Hartnell (March) and Patrick Troughton (April). (Thanks to Lars Pearson)




FILTER: - Books

Doctor Who: Influential, Robotic!Bookmark and Share

Sunday, 25 July 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Broadcast Magazine recently compiled their list of the "Fifty Most Influential Television Programmes in British Broadcasting History" and Doctor Who was on the list. Broadcast magazine said the 50 programmes were chosen because they "pushed television boundaries," and the list includes shows across many diverse genres including entertainment, factual, news and sport. The widely divergent list includes -- besides Doctor Who, of course -- such staples as "Coronation Street," "Not the Nine O'Clock News," "Blue Peter," "Brideshead Revisited," "Spitting Image," "Changing Rooms," "Big Brother" and "Comic Relief". Click here for the BBC News story. Meanwhile, Amazon.com and the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) held a recent poll to find the "world's favorite robot." The Daleks -- yes, those diminutive pepperpots who won't be appearing in the new Doctor Who series -- came in at number 12. R2D2 of "Star Wars" fame was voted number one in the poll which also included such varied responses as Bender ("Futurama"), Gort ("The Day the Earth Stood Still"), Crow T. Robot ("MST3K") and Number Five ("Short Circuit"). (Thanks to everyone who sent these stories in!)




FILTER: - Press

FIRST TARDIS PHOTOS plus more Wednesday pics, set report - updated twice!Bookmark and Share

Thursday, 22 July 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
We have a big scoop tonight... Outpost Gallifrey brings you the first photographs of the TARDIS used in the new series! Our correspondent William Owen shot the first photo late at night during Wednesday night's film shoot... and managed to get a close-up on the TARDIS beneath a London bus stop sign, below left; it's hazy and the lighting has been upped so you can see it in the dark (and no, we don't know why the one window is a white patch of light!) I've enlarged the TARDIS part of the photo; you can see the enlargement and the original below, left. Update 0420 GMT - two additional photos as well from Roger Anderson of the Cuttings Archive, featuring a distant shot of the TARDIS, in its familiar blue and now featuring the top lid, as well as the TARDIS under construction by production team members a bit earlier in the evening, under the heavy lighting.

Also below: the same shot (but a better range of view - you can see the Ryder moving truck, and the shop windows on the right are those of Howells); a lighting truck on St. Mary's Street outside an "HSBC Bank" building; two shots of a London bus and an OB (outside broadcast) van; and signs to the 'production base' ... which we're told turns out to be at the Cardiff Arms Park car park, as shown by the Gwyn Nicholls gate to the car park.

Update 0300 GMT: Also below in the spoiler tag, another set report courtesy our correspondent John Smith, with details on the Wednesday night filming session. Enjoy! (Thanks to William Owen, Roger Anderson, John Smith)
Tonight's shoot on St. Mary Street, starting just after 11pm, appeared to be endless re-takes of the same brief scene:

Rose leaves "Henriks" dept. store from crosses the street, hurrying but not running, looking nervously behind her. A black cab has to brake to avoid her, and beeps at her. The cab then continues up the street and drives through a puddle. The Puddle is obviously important as it was re-filled for every shot! It's what Rose is carrying that makes the shot interesting; it's the severed arm of a shop mannequin...

Onlookers became so familiar with this scene, that doubtless internet arguments will rage for years over whether they selected the best take!

Techies could be seen working on hinged prosthetic hands of an obviously Auton design. The TARDIS was built in-situ, in plain view, and it was possible for a short while to get right up close. However it was soon covered up and I'm fairly sure that it hadn't been used by the time I left at 3am.

More Monday and Tuesday Photos
July 22, 2004  •  Posted By Shaun Lyon
More photos that were posted to the Outpost Gallifrey Forum on Tuesday, from the first day or two of Cardiff area filming, courtesy users "The Gather" and "Joxer"; click on each for a larger version.
More Cardiff Photos
July 22, 2004  •  Posted By Shaun Lyon
Yet more photos from the Cardiff area, including more shots of the new TARDIS, the Albion Hospital facade, a couch dropping onto one of the London buses, the "Classic Bride" store and the shopping center, the police station, and various production personnel... click on each for a larger version. (Thanks to "Chris L," David Shaw, Mark Keeble, Paul Waddington)
Billie Piper Filming Photo
July 22, 2004  •  Posted By Shaun Lyon
At right (click for a larger version) is a photo that appeared in the July 21 edition of the South Wales Echo accompanying a news story (we reported on it yesterday), which features Billie Piper ("Rose") and another actress in costume and makeup. Says the caption, "Billie Piper, who plays Doctor Who's feisty assistant Rose Taylor [sic], was filming scenes in Howells, Cardiff, last night." The photo is credited to Huw Evans/Wales News. (Thanks to Darren Powis for the clipping!)




FILTER: - Series 1/27 - Filming Reports

Big Finish's Gallifrey IIBookmark and Share

Thursday, 22 July 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Big Finish will be releasing a second miniseries of Gallifrey stories next year. Five stories will comprise this second "season" of Gallifrey adventures: "Masques" by Gary Russell, "Spirits" by Stephen Cole, "Pandora" by Justin Richards, "Insurgency" by Steve Lyons and "Imperiatrix" by Stewart Sheargold. Among the actors returning to their roles are Lalla Ward (Romana), Louise Jameson (Leela), John Leeson (K9), Miles Richardson (Braxiatel), Sean Carlsen (Narvin) and Andy Coleman (Torvald). The five plays, directed by Gary Russell, will be released starting in the spring of 2005.




FILTER: - Audio

Wed / Thurs Set ReportsBookmark and Share

Thursday, 22 July 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
A couple of set reports from both Wednesday evening and today (Thursday) have crossed my desk; they're encased in the spoiler tags below. Interestingly enough there are several reports of a Dalek sighting... but as we've learned, this is more of the "campaign" launched by the Sun newspaper and not part of the production. (Thanks to Antony Wainer, Gregory Jones, Anna Roberts and "Andy")
From Thursday

Filming took place in the city centre again tonight. They were filming scenes in front of the entrance of Queen's Arcade (used as a location on Tuesday night). It was dressed similarly, with the same vehicles around, but this time the location seemed to be dirtied down with many bin bags and other rubbish scattered around. The scenes filmed included a group of extras running away from Autons. There was then a period when they seemed to be fimling closer shots of two Autons in wedding dresses plus other shots around the exterior of the police station (Exhibition pub). This was in the distance so it was hard to make out any details, but at one point there seemed to be a group of Autons surrounding a black London cab. Various small fires were then lit around the area, and a scene of the Autons dying was filmed. This was followed by a scene of a group of dazed extras starrgering though the carnage. During this scene, there may have been stand ins for Billie and Chris, as two extras of similar build and dressed in similar clothes to the costumes we've seen were fairly seperate to the main group of extras.
Anna Roberts

From Wednesday

Arrived on St Mary Street at 5pm and already production staff were busy. Howells department store was changed to 'Henriks' and there was a 'Henriks' Sale sign put up. The windows were being changed. The Police Station set had been up all day, Classic Bride had been taken down. Walked through Queens Arcade and a false window was being put up over a shop doorway. Went back to Howells after late Lunch (Cheese Burger in Toad (Police Station)!) to see Billie Piper! Wow! There were two London Buses, lots of extras and a bus sign. Billie recorded a scene getting off the bus and running into Henriks. Suddenly the Sun pushed a Gold Dalek to the location and was immediately stopped. They took lots of photos of the Dalek on the set. The crowd loved it. Billie ran onto the bus and hid! The Dalek was escorted off. Said hello to Billie who said 'Hiya'. She's lovely. Back to Queens Arcade for 10pm and saw an Auton chase some shoppers. He was wearing a grey suit. Very scary. Talked to the guys who had the Auton hands (four in total, I think).There were some explosions and the crew clapped. Back to St Mary's Street for a window to explode, but the crew stopped for break. Dont know what happened after 11.30pm as Id left. Great day!
Gregory Jones (courtesy Antony Wainer/DWAS)

Drove past the back end of CRI tonight around 6:30 after dropping a mate off in Orbit Street and saw two blokes and half a dalek lurking around the back entrance where all the vans and lorries had been parked over the weekend. My first thought was, "They've been lying to us all along!" but then I realised it was probably some fans just mucking about, at least that's what I hope... For the record the dalek was a normal one as we all remember it, but yellowy / gold with black bumps and it didn't have a top half. Unfortunately I didn't stop for reasons which now escape me, but I can't help wondering who it was.
Andy (aka Sparky)
Another batch courtesy Roger Anderson of the Cuttings Archive; we've selected a handful of the best, but there are a few more on Roger's website that you can check out. Below are photos from Wednesday night / Thursday morning shooting including: photos of the TARDIS base and construction and a hazy one of the "police box" sign; a long shot of Billie Piper actually filming, running across the street; some of the production team; the filming camera; the Queen's Arcade storefront; the "Henrik's" store front; and some, er, props used by the signature aliens in the footage being shot. Enjoy! (Thanks to Roger Anderson)




FILTER: - Series 1/27 - Filming Reports