Complete Series Seven Boxed Set announced

Friday, 26 July 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster

BBC Worldwide have announced the release of the Complete Series Seven Boxed Set on DVD and Blu-ray in the United Kingdom for the 28th October 2013.

Complete Series 7 - Cover (Credit: BBC Worldwide)

Doctor Who: The Complete Seventh Series

Say farewell to the Ponds all over again. Meet the enigmatic Clara for the first time - and the second, and the third. Face enemies new and old, follow the Doctor (Matt Smith) to the one place he should never go, and learn the secret to a really great soufflé. With a cliffhanger ending that will leave fans breathless, this set arrives just in time to catch up before the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special on November 23, and the Doctor’s regeneration in this year’s Christmas Special.

In the first part of series seven, the Ponds (Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill) make their final voyages with the Doctor. They save a spaceship full of dinosaurs, don Stetsons in the Wild West and are even kidnapped by the Doctor's oldest foe. But when they arrive in Manhattan the Weeping Angels are waiting for them - and the Doctor has to say goodbye to his companions forever.

The 2012 Christmas special, The Snowmen, brings the Doctor a new friend (Jenna Coleman) in Victorian London - but has he already met her before? And will she be able to pull him from his mourning in time to save London from the chilling menace that threatens it? The final eight episodes of series seven see the Doctor and his new companion battle monsters on distant alien planets, become trapped in a Russian submarine with a deadly passenger, chase terrifying ghosts, and come face-to-face with an army of upgraded Cybermen. When his friends are kidnapped, the Doctor and Clara are forced to visit the fields of Trenzalore, where the question that must never be answered is finally asked… and the Doctor uncovers the secret of the Impossible Girl.

The incredible list of guest stars includes John Hurt (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy), Warwick Davis (Willow, the Harry Potter films), Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones), David Warner (Titanic, TRON), Dougray Scott (Hemlock Grove, Ever After: A Cinderella Story), Ben Browder (Farscape), David Bradley (Game of Thrones), Jessica Raine (Call The Midwife, The Woman in Black), the mother-daughter duo of Dame Diana Rigg (Game of Thrones) and Rachael Stirling (Women in Love, Snow White and the Huntsman), and the voice of Sir Ian McKellen (The Lord of The Rings films). The episodes are written by lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat, as well as Neil Gaiman, Mark Gatiss, Neil Cross, Chris Chibnall, Toby Whithouse and Stephen Thompson.

Complete Series 7 - Cover (3D) (Credit: BBC Worldwide)

Special Features:

Audio commentaries for: The Snowmen, Cold War, Hide and The Crimson Horror
"Prequels" for: The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe, Asylum of the Daleks, The Snowmen (x3), The Bells of Saint John and The Name of the Doctor (x2)
Pond Life
The Making of the Gunslinger
Creating Clara
Behind the scenes featurettes for every episode
Additional featurettes: Doctor Who in the US, Last Days of the Ponds, The Science of Doctor Who, The Companions and Doctor Who at Comic Con

Note: this set does not include the 2011 Christmas Special, The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe.

FILTER: - Merchandise - Eleventh Doctor - Blu-ray/DVD - Series 7/33

AudioGo: August releases

Friday, 19 July 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster

AudioGo's ongoing celebration of 50 Years of Doctor Who reaches the Eighth Doctor in August, with he and Charlie facing Enemy Aliens in the Destiny of the Doctor series. Meanwhile, the Seventh Doctor performs at The Greatest Show in the Galaxy in the latest Target novelisation adaptation, and the Eleventh Doctor's former compantion Amelia Pond writes about when Summer Falls in an audio adaptation of the e-book released earlier this year.

Destiny of the Doctor: Enemy Aliens (Credit: AudioGo)

Destiny of the Doctor: Enemy Aliens
Starring India Fisher, with Michael Maloney (pre-order)

1935: a message from a Time Lord in trouble sends the Eighth Doctor and Charlotte ‘Charley’ Pollard to the streets of London’s West End, in search of a mysterious alien adversary – unaware that something monstrous is already on their trail.

They soon discover that an insidious conspiracy is indeed at work, its tentacles extending the length of the British Isles. Proving its existence won’t be easy, however, after a confrontation in a music hall ends up with the Doctor under arrest and Charley on the run, suspected of murder. All their hopes rest in a musical clue and a man named Hilary – neither of which are much consolation, with the two time travellers the object of a nationwide manhunt.

And all the while, the enemy aliens are drawing closer and closer still...

India Fisher - Charley in the Big Finish Doctor Who audio series - and Michael Maloney perform this original story by Alan Barnes, with music and sound design.

To be in with a chance to win one of three copies of Enemy Aliens courtesy of AudioGo, answer the following question:

Charlie travelled with the Eighth Doctor for a number of years, they are eventually separated during an encounter with the Cybermen - but what happened to her next?

Send your answer to comp-aliens@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "Shh. Spoilers!", along with your name, address, and where you saw the competition (the news website, twitter, facebook, etc.). Only one entry per postal address will be accepted. The competition is open worldwide, and the closing date is 31st July 2013.

Doctor Who - The Greatest Show in the Galaxy (Credit: AudioGo)

The Greatest Show in the Galaxy
Written by Stephen Wyatt
Read by Sophie Aldred (pre-order)

CREEPY. That's what Ace thinks of clowns. But the Doctor insists on entering the talent contest at the Psychic Circus, the self-proclaimed Greatest Show in the Galaxy, on the planet Segonax. What has reduced Segonax to an arid wasteland? Why have the happy-go-lucky circus folk stayed here so long? And why are they no longer happy? Above all, what is the dreadful truth about the 'talent contests' run by the sinister Ringmaster and his robot clowns?

The Doctor and Ace need all their death-defying skills in the big top to uncover a brooding, ancient evil that has broken the spirit of the Circus and demanded the sacrifice of so many lives.

Sophie Aldred, who played Ace in Doctor Who, reads Stephen Wyatt's complete and unabridged novelisation, first published by Target Books in 1989.

To be in with a chance to win one of three copies of The Greatest Show in the Galaxy courtesy of AudioGo, answer the following question:

Due to a re-arrangement of the running order of Season 25, The Greatest Show in the Galaxy ended up being broadcast last in the season - name an on-screen continuity error this introduced for the preceding Silver Nemesis (which would originally have been broadcast afterwards)?

Send your answer to comp-greatestshow@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "Roll up, roll up!", along with your name, address, and where you saw the competition. Only one entry per postal address will be accepted. The competition is open worldwide, and the closing date is 31st July 2013.

Summer Falls
Read by Clare Corbett (pre-order)

Clare Corbett reads this enchanting tale of a peculiar painting, a talking cat and a very odd Curator, inspired by the Doctor Who episode 'The Bells of Saint John'...

In the seaside village of Watchcombe, young Kate is determined to make the most of her last week of summer holiday. But when she discovers a mysterious painting entitled 'The Lord of Winter' in a charity shop, it leads her on an adventure she never could have planned. Kate soon realises the old seascape, painted long ago by an eccentric local artist, is actually a puzzle. And with the help of some bizarre new acquaintances - including a museum curator's magical cat, a miserable neighbour, and a lonely boy - she plans on solving it. And then, one morning, Kate wakes up to a world changed forever. For the Lord of Winter is coming - and Kate has a very important decision to make.

To be in with a chance to win one of three copies of Summer Falls courtesy of AudioGo, answer the following question:

Which chapter of the book, according to Clara, is the best?

Send your answer to comp-summer@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "You'll cry your eyes out", along with your name, address, and where you saw the competition. Only one entry per postal address will be accepted. The competition is open worldwide, and the closing date is 31st July 2013.

FILTER: - Merchandise - Audio - Eighth Doctor - Seventh Doctor - Competitions - WHO50

Big Finish: July releases

Friday, 19 July 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Big Finish have released details about the latest adventures for the Doctor and his companions in July.

Doctor Who: Persuasion returns former Nazi scientist Klein to the Seventh Doctor's life as the pair become embroiled in a quest for a very dangerous object. And this time there's room for another person in the TARDIS: Klein's assistant Will Arrowsmith. It stars Sylvester McCoy and sees Tracey Childs reprise her role as Klein, with Christian Edwards playing Will. It has been written by Jonathan Barnes, author of Sherlock Holmes story The Adventure of the Perfidious Mariner, and the upcoming The Ordeals of Sherlock Holmes box set.

Persuasion (available to order)
Starring Sylvester McCoy as The Doctor, with Tracey Childs as Dr Elizabeth Klein

The Umbrella Man is back. But when the Doctor recruits UNIT's Scientific Adviser Elizabeth Klein for an off-the-books mission to the apocalyptic final days of Hitler's Germany, he isn't expecting Klein's hapless young assistant, Will Arrowsmith, to be joining them too.

The Doctor isn't the only alien creature seeking to loot a very particular secret from a Nazi base in Dusseldorf, however. Strange and sinister beings are converging on the same time/space location in search of the scientist Schalk, whose experiments are the key to a devastating power...

The power of Persuasion.

Producer David Richardson says:

We love working with Tracey Childs at Big Finish, and in Klein – originally created by Steve Lyons – we have found the most wonderfully complex and nuanced character to play with. If you think you knew it all about Elizabeth, then you’re in for a few shocks in this new trilogy, which continues with Starlight Robbery in August (with features the Sontarans) and Daleks Among Us in September (with the return of Davros).

Doctor Who - The Companion Chronicles: Mastermind takes us back to the UNIT Vault and the lives of Ruth Matheson (Daphne Ashbrook) and Charlie Sato (Yee Jee Tso), guardians of its secrets. Alongside all the artefacts, though, is a highly deadly prisoner: the Master (Geoffrey Beevers). And he has a story to tell which is certainly not guaranteed to have a happy ending. Writer Jonathan Morris locks himself back into the Vault for an in-depth look at quite possibly the Doctor's most dangerous foe...

The Companion Chronicles: Mastermind (Credit: Big Finish)

Mastermind (available to order)
Starring Daphne Ashbrook as Ruth Matheson, Yee Jee Tso as Charlie Sato, with Geoffrey Beevers as The Master

The Vault – an archive of alien artefacts securely stored deep beneath the Angel of the North.

There's also a prisoner in the Vault. An extraterrestrial known as the Master. He has been on Earth for some time, but now he's under lock and key.

This is his story.

Or, as Captain Ruth Matheson and Warrant Officer Charlie Sato discover… perhaps it is theirs.

David Richardson says:

After the success of Tales from the Vault, which introduced Ruth and Charlie, we were determined to revisit the Vault – and Jonny Morris has found the most fascinating way to do so. I’m thrilled that already it has been so well received, as people are responding to a labyrinthine script that reveals a lot of new information about the Doctor’s arch enemy. And Geoffrey Beevers is, of course, magnificent.

The Fourth Doctor’s second season ends with The Final Phase, in which the mysterious Cuthbert's plan for the Proxima System is reaching its climax. The Doctor and Romana have been separated. The Doctor is aiding the Proximan fight-back. Romana and K9 are prisoners of the Daleks. And as the countdown to the opening of the Quantum Gateway begins, the Daleks reveal their true intentions.

Starring Tom Baker as the Doctor, John Leeson as K9 and, sadly, for the final time Mary Tamm as the first Romana, Doctor Who: The Final Phase brings the second series of The Fourth Doctor Adventures to a shattering conclusion. It also stars David Warner and Toby Hadoke as Cuthbert and his ever-faithful sidekick Mr Dorrick, and the incomparable Nicholas Briggs as the ever-malevolent Daleks.

Fourth Doctor Adventures: The Final Phase (Credit: Big Finish)

The Final Phase (available to order)
Starring Tom Baker as the Doctor and Mary Tamm as Romana, with David Warner as Cuthbert

'The raw power of the very fabric of reality itself. And you dare to think you can conquer it?'

Cuthbert's plan for the Proxima System is reaching its final phase.

The Doctor and Romana have been separated. The Doctor is aiding the Proximan fight-back. Romana and K9 are prisoners of the Daleks.

And as the countdown to the opening of the Quantum Gateway begins, the Daleks reveal their true intentions.

David Richardson says:

Mary loved this script. And when we recorded it, she specifically asked to record the final scene again – just because she felt it was a pivotal moment for Romana, and she wanted to get it exactly right. It’s heartbreaking to think that would be the last time we saw her. But we’re all so grateful to Mary for driving this second season of The Fourth Doctor Adventures through, despite her illness. A remarkable lady.

Finally, the second season of Counter-Measures stars Simon Williams, Pamela Salem and Karen Gledhill reprising their Doctor Who Remembrance of the Daleks roles of Gilmore, Rachel and Allison, Counter-Measures - Series Two brings four more tales of Sixties-set 'black and white' espionage, conspiracy and derring-do. It also stars Hugh Ross as the team's mysterious boss, Sir Toby Kinsella.

UNIT: Counter Measures 2 (Credit: Big Finish)

UNIT: Counter Measures 2 (available to order)
Starring Pamela Salem as Rachel Jensen, Simon Williams as Group Captain Gilmore, and Karen Gledhill as Allison Williams

The British government has created the Counter-Measures group, a specialist team that investigates strange phenomena and dangerous technology. This box set contains four of their adventures plus a behind-the-scenes documentary.

Manhunt by Matt Fitton
Group Captain Gilmore is on the run for murder; Sir Toby is dealing with his unctuous new assistant, Templeton; and Allison and Rachel are investigating a bizarre series of deaths across the country. A maniac is on the loose, but for Counter-Measures it's business as usual.

The Fifth Citadel by James Goss
People are falling ill near Holborn and displaying a sickness with all the hallmarks of radiation poisoning. While Gilmore and Allison look into a graveyard, Sir Toby and Rachel venture underground to meet an old friend with a desperate scheme.

Peshka by Cavan Scott and Mark Wright
A visit to an international chess tournament isn't quite the relaxing experience the Counter-Measures team might have hoped for. With a defection to arrange and violence erupting on the streets it's time for a dangerous gambit. What pieces will be left on the table when the Endgame approaches?

Sins of the Fathers by John Dorney
When a massacre results from the ruins of an old case, it poses more questions than it answers. But with Sir Toby stonewalling, Gilmore and Rachel are forced to investigate alone. The past is catching up with Counter-Measures. With decades old secrets about to be revealed, can anyone survive the fallout?

David Richardson says:

I’m hugely proud of this series, which I think has really hit its stride now. The first series went down a storm, so we're delighted to be able to release the five-disc box set early.

These four tales take the Counter-Measures group into some dangerous new situations – in which the biggest threat is humanity itself... You can experience Gilmore's brush with the wrong side of the law, an illness that looks like radiation sickness, a chess match that leads to defection and the revelation of a long-kept secret - can the team stay together in the face of adversity?

Win a copy of Mastermind!

This month's competition thanks to Big Finish is to win one of five copies of Mastermind. To be in with a chance to win, please answer the following question:

Mastermind features both the Master and UNIT personnel - and on television Geoffrey Beevers has played both! Name the role he played within UNIT.

Send your answer to comp-mastermind@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "You Will Obey!", along with your name, address, and where you saw the competition (the news website, twitter, facebook, etc.). Only one entry per postal address will be accepted. The competition is open worldwide, and the closing date is 31st July 2013.

FILTER: - Merchandise - Audio - Seventh Doctor - Competitions - Fourth Doctor - Big Finish

Silva Screen: forthcoming releases

Friday, 19 July 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Silva Screen has announced the next of its 50th Anniversary soundtrack collection on CD, with the release of the score of the final story to be recorded in the original run of Doctor Who, the Sylvester McCoy adventure Ghost Light.

Ghost Light (soundtrack) (Credit: Silva Screen)

Doctor Who - Ghost Light

Mark Ayres' dark and mysterious synth score to Marc Platt’s 3-part TV series with Sylvester McCoy as the Seventh Doctor.

Originally released on Silva Screen Records in 1993, in this new version Ghost Light is freshly re-mastered from the original analogue stereo master tapes with consecutive cues combined into longer tracks. Also included are additional tracks previously omitted and the complete initial "demo" version of the music for Part One. The album presents the score
in story order.

Though the score features small themes and motifs, the musical narrative relies on "sounds" rather than "themes". The composer juxtaposes the tender sound of strings, harp, clarinet with native drums and unearthly sounds of pipes, distorted gong, organ and choir.

Ghost Light was the final production of the series' original 26-year run.

A television composer best known for scoring the original series of Doctor Who, Mark Ayres' work encompasses the era of Sylvester McCoy as the Seventh Doctor and includes scores for The Greatest Show in the Galaxy, Ghost Light, and The Curse of Fenric. Ayres was also part of BBC’s unofficial Doctor Who Restoration Team and has done much of audio restoration from the later VHS Doctor Who releases.

Doctor Who (Opening Theme)
The Madhouse
Redvers, I Presume?
Uncharted Territory
Heart of the Interior
Gwendoline
The Fang of a Cave Bear
Enter Josiah
Indoor Lightning
Nimrod Observed
Time to Emerge
Burnt Toast
Ace's Adventures Underground
Where is Mamma?
Loss of Control
The Way to the Zoo
The Hungry Inspector
The Memory Teller
Lighting the Touchpaper
Homo Victorianus Ineptus
Out of the Shadows
Light Enlightened
Tropic of Perivale
Tricks of the Light
Judgement in Stone
Requiem
Passing Thoughts
Doctor Who (Closing Theme)
The Madhouse (alternative)
Redvers, I Presume? (alternative)
Uncharted Territory (alternative)
Heart of the Interior (alternative)
Gwendoline (alternative)
The Fang of a Cave Bear (alternative)
Enter Josiah (alternative)
Indoor Lightning (alternative)
Nimrod Observed (alternative)
Time to Emerge (alternative)
Burnt Toast (alternative)
Ace's Adventures Underground (alternative)

The CD is due to be released on 26th August 2013.

Also coming out on 19th August is a 12" vinyl release of the Series 1+2 album, originally released on CD in 2006. The two records include all of the tracks from the original. Meanwhile, music from the most recent television series is due to be released as a two-disc collection on CD later in the Autumn.

Series 1 & 2 (soundtrack) (Credit: Silva Screen)

Series 7 (soundtrack) (Credit: Silva Screen)

UPDATE - 15th AUGUST: Silva Screen has announced that because of a problem at the factory the release date of the vinyl albums has been delayed, with Monday 2nd September now the likely date.

Win a copy of Ghost Light!

Thanks to Silva Screen we have three copies of the CD for our readers to win. To be in with a chance, simply answer this question:

In Ghost Light, when Ace discovers that the Doctor has taken her back to the house she hated from her youth, she asks if he too has things he hates - name one of his responses.

Please send your answer to comp-ghostlight@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "We all have a universe of our own terrors to face", along with your name, address, and where you read about this competition. The competition is open worldwide, and the closing date will be on 24th August 2013. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

FILTER: - Merchandise - Audio - Seventh Doctor - Competitions - WHO50

BBC Worldwide Annual Report 2012/13

Tuesday, 16 July 2013 - Reported by Marcus

Doctor Who once more features heavily in the BBC Worldwide Annual Report, making clear how important the series is to the corporation and putting part of the fall in headline sales for the company down to the lower number of Doctor Who episodes produced this year.

The report details how the revenue from superbrands such as Doctor Who contribute 27% of BBC Worldwide's headline sales, which are down by 14% on the previous year, partly due to a lower volume of output from Doctor Who.

BBC Worldwide exists to exploit the BBC's commercial assets, raising money which can be returned to the corporation for reinvestment in programmes. Doctor Who has many mentions in this year’s annual report, which details the performance of the BBC's assets around the world.

Doctor Who is one of BBC Worldwide’s biggest brands, sold to over 200 territories around the world. It is named as a key part of the digital business strategy, where sales are up by 22.8% on last year.

The report details how the Series 7 premiere was the most-watched telecast in the history of BBC America, and how in Australia the first-ever cinema night of two episodes from Series 6 was number three at the Australian box office.

Other Doctor Who highlights include

The Doctor Who Experience which relocated to a long-term residency in Cardiff Bay, following a one-year tenancy at London’s Olympia.
Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock, the first BBC-published game on the Sony PlayStation3
The Symphonic Spectacular which was held at the Sydney Opera House and had a total ticketed attendance of 16,144.
The Universal Remote Control has sold 36,000 units since launch.
Doctor Who Home for Christmas 2012, a collection of Doctor Who homewares, ceramics and stationery, designed and distributed in-house.
A line-up of Doctor Who collectibles for the 50th Anniversary year, including a celebratory range of Royal Mail stamps.
Doctor Who coin produced by New Zealand Mint.
3.1 million fans on Facebook.

FILTER: - Merchandise - Doctor Who - BBC

Character: 12" British Icon Dalek

Thursday, 11 July 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Character have announced a special edition 12" Dalek to celebrate Doctor Who's 50th Anniversary.

Character: 12" British Icon Dalek (Credit: Character)

For the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who, what could be better for collectors than his ultimate foe in truly British styling; Character unveils its Doctor Who 12-inch British Icon Dalek

This ultimate Doctor Who collectable 12-inch Dalek has been produced exclusively in Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary year. Beautifully displayed in the Union Flag, it celebrates the Daleks as a British icon and is ideal gift for all Doctor Who fans. This limited edition free-wheeling Dalek features poseable arm, head and eye while us having the ability to voice 10 Dalek phrases with lights and sound FX.

The Daleks were created by the Kaled scientist, Davros as travel machines. Davros had deduced that the years of radiation and chemical poisoning from an ongoing war would lead his race to mutate into immobile organisms. The Dalek travel machines would house these creatures and allow the Kaleds to survive.

In the course of his experiments however, Davros deliberately removed what he considered to be debilitating emotions from the mutants and a force of evil was spawned!

The Doctor Who 12-inch British Icon Dalek will be available from late August. Suitable for ages 5 years and over it will be a must have for the many generations of fans that the Timelord has gained in the past 5 decades.

FILTER: - Merchandise - Character

Telesnaps Special Highlights Early Second Doctor Era

Thursday, 11 July 2013 - Reported by John Bowman

A special edition of Doctor Who Magazine has been published today featuring telesnaps from missing Second Doctor episodes.

Although a total of 106 Doctor Who episodes no longer exist in the BBC archives, there are pictorial records of most of them in the form of photos taken of TV screens at the time of broadcast, and The Missing Episodes – The Second Doctor Volume 1 contains images from six Patrick Troughton stories across its 116 pages.

The adventures covered are The Power of the Daleks, The Highlanders, The Underwater Menace, The Moonbase, The Macra Terror, and The Faceless Ones.

The special publication also has a feature by researcher and author Richard Molesworth, which reveals how some missing episodes of Doctor Who have miraculously been found and returned to the archives over the years. Molesworth wrote the book Wiped! Doctor Who's Missing Episodes, which was updated this year for a second edition.

It is unknown as yet when Volume 2 will be published or which stories it will cover.

FILTER: - Merchandise - Specials - Second Doctor - Magazines - DWM - Patrick Troughton

The Fourth Doctor Time Capsule

Tuesday, 9 July 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster

The Fourth Doctor Time Capsule - Letter from Tom Baker (Credit: BBC Worldwide)

BBC Worldwide have announced the release of a limited edition set to celebrate the Fourth Doctor, as played by Tom Baker. The Fourth Doctor Time Capsule will contain exclusive merchandise and memorabilia:

An Interview with the Time Lord - a newly commissioned interview with Tom Baker.
Terror of the Zygons - an advance "vanilla" release of the restored story, which is due out later in the year.
Fourth Doctor Action Figure - an exclusive post-regenerative Fourth Doctor, wearing Jon Pertwee’s trademark frill-fronted shirt.
Fourth Doctor sonic screwdriver.
Genesis of the Daleks - an audio version of the classic Dalek "origin" story.
Tomb of Valdemar - a novel by Simon Messingham, set during the Doctor’s search for the Key to Time.
Art cards - featuring all the Fourth Doctor’s companions.
A letter from Tom Baker.

The Fourth Doctor Time Capsule is limited to 5000 copies, and is due to be released in the UK only on 29th July.

The set was subject to a Twitter campaign over the last week using the #thefourth hashtag, which also saw a couple of intriguing teaser trailers released to promote interest:

Teaser 1 | Teaser 2

FILTER: - Merchandise - Tom Baker - Fourth Doctor - Blu-ray/DVD

Big Finish: June Releases

Saturday, 15 June 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Big Finish have released details on the latest adventures for the Doctor and his companions in June ...

Prisoners of Fate (available to order)
Starring Peter Davison as The Doctor, Janet Fielding as Tegan, Mark Strickson as Turlough, and Sarah Sutton as Nyssa.

Twenty-five years ago, with Richter's Syndrome running rampant throughout the galaxy, the brilliant biochemist Nyssa, formerly of Traken, bade a painful farewell to her young family... and set off into the space, in search of a cure for this deadly disease.

She never returned.

Now, her grown-up son continues her work on the penal colony of Valderon, still desperate to make the breakthrough that eluded his presumed-dead mother.

So when the TARDIS lands on Valderon, bringing the Doctor, Tegan, Turlough and Nyssa to its fortress prison, the scene is set for a painful reunion... but not only for Nyssa. The Doctor's past is about to catch up with him too...

Prisoners of Fate ends the current trilogy of Fifth Doctor adventures with a twisty tale from the pen of Jonathan Morris as the Doctor, Tegan, Turlough and Nyssa are forced to confront head-on the consequences of Nyssa's travels in the TARDIS since Helheim, begun in Doctor Who: Cobwebs. The story guest stars Sarah Douglas (Superman, V) as Sibor and Alistair Mackenzie (Monarch of the Glen, Borgen) as Galen.

Producer David Richardson commented:

This story presents a huge dilemma for Nyssa, and there are no easy answers for the Doctor. Plus we get to meet something significant from the Doctorls past we never knew about before...

The Companion Chronicles: Council of War (Credit: Big Finish)

Council of War (available to order)
Starring John Levene as Benton, with Sinead Keenan as Margery Phipps

At the Doctor's request, Sergeant Benton is investigating ghosts and missing people in Kettering, while undercover as a local councillor

And that's how he comes to meet Margery Phipps.

An alien incursion in the town hall leads them on a journey to a terrible future – where Margery discovers how she changed a world, and the life of a whole civilisation hangs in the balance...

Council of War, by Scarifyers creators Simon Barnard and Paul Morris, Sergeant Benton finds an undercover job taking on a life of its own when he gets involved in the life of Margery Phipps and the affairs of Kettering.

David:

Yes, John Levene has joined The Companion Chronicles. It's great to have him aboard – ably supported here by the brilliant Sinead Keenan (Nina from Being Human).

Fourth Doctor Adventures: The Dalek Contract (Credit: Big Finish)

The Dalek Contract (available to order)
Starring Tom Baker as the Doctor, Mary Tamm as Romana, and John Leeson as K9

'These creatures have ravaged half the cosmos. They're experts at this kind of thing. Nothing can stand in their way.'

The Doctor and Romana find themselves in the Proxima System, where enigmatic Conglomerate CEO Cuthbert has been conducting his infamous 'experiment'. An experiment which might accidentally rip the universe apart.

Meanwhile, living conditions on Proxima Major have become harsh and hostile. Climate change has turned the landscape into a freezing wasteland and an alien power has condemned much of the population to life inside internment camps. For those still clinging to their freedom, the struggle for survival is now beyond desperate and outsiders such as the Doctor and Romana are only seen as a threat.

What is Cuthbert really up to in the Proxima System, and just how does he expect the dreaded Daleks to fit into his plan?

David:

A few firsts in this one. It's the first Romana's only meeting with the Daleks. It's K9's first fight against the Daleks (at least in a full cast medium). And it's also the return of David Warner as Cuthbert and Toby Hadoke as Mr Dorrick, as we head for a big season finale with high stakes...

Competition:

This month's competition thanks to Big Finish is to win one of five copies of Council of War. To be in with a chance, please answer the following question:

John Levene has been long associated with the role of Benton, but name his only credited monstrous role and relevant story from the television series.

Send your answer to comp-council@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "beneath the mask", along with your name, address, and where you saw the competition (the news website, twitter, facebook, etc.). Only one entry per postal address will be accepted. The competition is open worldwide, and the closing date is 30th June 2013.

FILTER: - Merchandise - Audio - Competitions - Fourth Doctor - Fifth Doctor - Big Finish

Character: 3.75" Figures released

Friday, 7 June 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Character have launched their new range of 3.75" figures:

From June 2013, fans can regenerate their treasured collections with a new Doctor Who 3.75 inch scale action figure. These highly detailed, realistic and poseable action figures include characters from Doctor Who Series 7 and are ideal to re-enact scenes from the series or create brand new time-travelling adventures. The first instalment includes six characters:

Character 3.75" Figures: Ice Warrior, Weeping Angel, Doctor, Clara, Cyberman, Dalek (Credit: Character)

Order from Forbidden Planet: Ice Warrior, Weeping Angel, The Doctor, Clara, Cyberman, Dalek

Explaining the change of figures from the previous 5" collection, Character said:

This new action figure collection is presented in 3.75 inch scale and many of you will be asking why the size of the figures has changed for this new series. Quite simply, with this being the 50th year of Doctor Who we wanted to refresh our product offering, and create something new and exciting for avid fans and children to collect. Our research also showed that many children today are collecting smaller figures and boy's action figures across the market are moving to this size. The new figures are compatible with other action figures and playsets in the marker, so kids can easily mix and match their play scenarios which are an integral part of the play pattern.

Of course there are many benefits too. The new collection is more affordable to the millions of fans, however more importantly absolutely no compromise has been made on the detail and quality.

In addition to the individual figures, Character have also created two "Timezone Playsets", themed around "Cold War" and "Dalek Invasion":

1983 - In the cold waters of the Southern Arctic Ocean, a Russian submarine returning from patrol takes on board a suspicious cargo, and the Doctor is reunited with one of his oldest foes. [order]