The Best Doctor Who Poems In The Universe

Thursday, 23 June 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
The Best Doctor Who Poems In The Universe is a new book to be released by GJB Publishing compiling a collection of poems and limericks from fans around the world. A wealth of subjects are covered, including the Doctor, the Master, Cybermen, Sarah Jane, Donna, K9, The Green Death, The Mara, Gallifrey, Delia Derbyshire, and Rose; plus, what it's like to be a Doctor Who fan!

The anthology is edited by Garry Vaux, who said:
Poetry isn’t necessarily something you associate with Doctor Who but since new Who came back it’s had an extra emotional element to it and with it’s action hero, the heartbreak, the fun, the scares and the thrills, it seems like an ideal subject for poetry.

The artwork is stunning and there are some wonderful poems from some very talented people. I hope it will encourage more wordsmiths and artists to put pen to paper.

I’ve been a fan of Doctor Who since childhood and it’s the only programme these days I watch religiously so I’m delighted to produce something to celebrate it in a different kind of way.
The book is available to buy from the publisher's website.


Read a sample poem here:
Time Loop, by Gerald Riley

In the constellation of Kasterborous,
There lies a special place.
Locked in time through the spoils of war,
One survivor - who changes his face.

He’s lived for over nine hundred years,
But perished after four knocks.
His name is heard throughout the universe.
This mad man with a box.

So whenever you travel in time and space,
Through the stars so wild and dangerous,
Listen for the echo of two beating hearts,
In the constellation of Kasterborous.




FILTER: - Books

Torchwood: the UK wait continues

Thursday, 23 June 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
The BBC Press Office have now released details for Week 28 (9-15 July); however, Torchwood: Miracle Day does not feature amongst the highlights listed for that coming week.

The series is expected to begin in July, with Front Row presenter Mark Lawson announcing: "Torchwood: Miracle Day begins on BBC1 next month, alongside Radio 4's Torchwood drama." after speaking to writer/producer Russell T Davies on the show. Davies himself believed it would be during week 28, telling On The Box: "it's something like Thursday July 14th here, that's the plan, so you only have to wait six days." However, BBC News muddied the waters somewhat, reporting after the preview of episode one that: "The series will air in the US in early July and be shown later in the summer on BBC One."

Based on the press release it would currently seem that Torchwood won't begin on UK television until at least a week after its premiere in the United States. However, as always, the Press Office states:
Scheduling information in Network TV Programme Information is subject to change.

Update: the BBC Press Office issued a tweet on Friday 24th June to say: "Torchwood schedule is still being determined and once there's a date, we'll let you know."





FILTER: - Torchwood - UK - Miracle Day (Series 4)

Day of the Daleks: Special Edition preview event

Wednesday, 22 June 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster

The Doctor Who Appreciation Society are organising a special launch day to tie in with the release on DVD of Pertwee tale Day of the Daleks.

Taking place at Riverside Studios on the 4th September, the event will see the new, CGI-enhanced version shown on the big screen, plus guest panels with both members of the original cast and those working on this new version of the story. There is also the chance to buy the DVD and have its sleeve signed by those present during autograph sessions.

This event is being presented by permission of 2|Entertain, and tickets are free to anybody wishing to apply - full details on how to get tickets and more information about the afternoon may be found via the DWAS website. Please note that guests will be announced nearer the event.


The Day of the Daleks special edition was originally announced by 2|Entertain at last year's DWAS event, Time and Space.

Update 27th June: the event is now full - all applications received up to today are being processed, but no others can be accepted.





FILTER: - Special Events - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

Torchwood: Miracle Day - Welsh Preview

Wednesday, 22 June 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
After the blaze of publicity in London for Monday's preview of episode one of Torchwood: Miracle Day, another, lower key preview took place in Wales last night as cast and crew gathered to watch in Swansea, where UK filming took place earlier in the year.

The preview took place at the Branwyn Hall (seen itself in the previous series, Children of Earth), and as with London the principal cast and crew were available to speak to the press, with an emphasis upon the show's Welsh roots.

Russell T Davies, who was born in the city, told the South Wales Evening Post:
I don't come as often as I should, but it is lovely to be back. Torchwood has such a Welsh heritage, we wanted to bring it here to show it off and repay the city really.

One of the first scenes in the first episode is at the (white National Trust) house in Rhossili. I spent my life wondering what it was like inside and I never thought we would get it, but lo and behold we managed it. It was a joy to film there and it looks epic and huge.

It is an exciting adventure to be in Los Angeles and America at my age (48) but you will always come home to Swansea.
Speaking to the Western Mail, he added:
There is a fair bit of swagger in Miracle Day. We go to Dallas, Los Angeles, Washington as well as Wales. Of course, being in America meant more money, more production value, bigger explosions, but it was also very important to recognise Wales. If we had just shot it out there it would not have been believable.

It is a Welsh show with Welsh characters, that is very important and is part of the reason why it works. The story starts in Wales, the middle is in America and it ends in Wales.

Eve Myles said:
We had the premiere in London on Monday, which was lovely, but this is the one I am really excited about.

It was unbelievable to film at Rhossili, it was wonderful. I had always wanted to live at that house and the beach is where I walk my dog, so it was unbelievable to blow it up!

It is one of the most important things on the whole show, a huge element of it is Welsh, the show will always have a link to Wales."

BBC Wales have released a video with Bill Pullman at the event, talking about his character.

Russell T Davies also featured on BBC Radio 4's Front Row last night, chatting to presenter Mark Lawson about taking Torchwood from the UK into the US, The Sarah Jane Adventures, and on other topics like the austerity measures within the BBC, the importance of the watershed, and his enthusiasm for his next writing project.

Having talked about what would happen with The Sarah Jane Adventures, discussion then turned towards the audience that would watch Torchwood, and that though it isn't aimed for children some would still watch it through its Doctor Who/Captain Jack connection. Davies commented:
You have to be quite careful with it, more careful than you'd normally would be, because now obviously Torchwood goes out at 9 o'clock, and we've got it coming up on BBC1 now, but we've never had Captain Jack swear because he's loved by children, and children will come to watch it. So we don't tone Torchwood down as such, there's still strong meat and there's some great visuals and some great gore in this show - and, you know, Captain Jack freely has an open and honest and wonderful sex life, but that's fine - it's just the harsher elements, the swearing and his actions as well - I don't think you're ever going to see Captain Jack stab someone brutally or something like that because he's a children's hero.
Talking about the co-production deal, he said:
The move to America partly coincided with the success of the last series of Torchwood which has allowed us to get co-production money. This new series of Torchwood is in conjunction with Starz, who are a premium cable network over there, so they brought a level of funding that we wouldn't have got from the BBC. I have to say if we hadn't, we could still have made this series. But you know, this co-production stuff is nothing new, you haven't seen a Dickens drama made for about 25 years that didn't have money from Boston in it or something, so this is the way of the world now, co-production money is natural.





FILTER: - Torchwood - Special Events - UK - Radio - Miracle Day (Series 4)

Torchwood: Web of Lies - update (iOS only)

Wednesday, 22 June 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
BBC Worldwide and Starz have released new details on the tie-in "motion comic" Torchwood: Web of Lies, which has been revealed to consist of a series of ten, three minute interactive narratives that will offer clues to the mysteries conjured up in Miracle Day. It has been written by Jane Espenson and Ryan Scott, and has been developed by Double Barrel Motion Labs for BBC Worldwide Productions and BBC Worldwide Digital Entertainment and Games.

However, the series will only be released through an application designed for the Apple-based iOS operating system, available through iTunes.

The press release provides details on how Web of Lies fits in with Miracle Day:
Torchwood: Web of Lies is an episodic interactive experience for iOS that fuses together motion comic and gameplay elements to tell an original and digitally exclusive Torchwood story. Players will participate in a parallel storyline to Torchwood: Miracle Day that includes lead characters Captain Jack Harkness and Gwen Cooper – voiced by John Barrowman and Eve Myles.

Torchwood: Web of Lies runs alongside weekly premieres of Torchwood: Miracle Day, providing fans with a way to engage in the world of Torchwood between episodes. It reveals a past day in the lives of Captain Jack Harkness and Gwen Cooper - a day they’ve both forgotten. The events of that day fuel a modern day conspiracy-laced treasure hunt, as Holly Mokri, voiced by Eliza Dushku (Dollhouse, Tru Calling, Buffy The Vampire Slayer), labours to uncover the secrets of Miracle Day.

Each week a new episode unlocks, allowing players to access another piece of original motion comic narrative and game which ties into and extends plot developments of the show, as well as providing new twists in its own narrative.

The first narrative and game will be released promotionally and the remaining nine can be purchased inside the app in packs of three, each for $0.99/59p. A special bundle for all 10 narratives and game can be purchased for $2.99/£1.79.

No information has been forthcoming as to whether fans of Torchwood using other operating systems will also be able to access the complimentary material featured in Web of Lies.





FILTER: - Torchwood - Games - Miracle Day (Series 4)

Doctor Who In Comics exhibition

Tuesday, 21 June 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
The Cartoon Museum in London is to launch a new exhibition in July; entitled Doctor Who In Comics (1964-2011), the museum will be displaying a variety of artwork from throughout the lifetime of the series that have appeared in publication like Doctor Who Magazine, IDW, annuals, yearbooks, etc.

Curator Anita O'Brien said:
There will be about 90 pieces of original Doctor Who artwork including work by Dave Gibbons, John Ridgeway, John Canning, Adrian Salmon, Barrie Mitchell, Martin Geraghty, Ben Templesmith and Mark Buckingham - and many others - many of which will never have been displayed in public before.
It is hoped to include artwork featuring all eleven television Doctors, and also in his movie persona of Peter Cushing.


The exhibition will run from 27th July until 30th October. See the museum website for full information about their exhibits and admission details.

(with thanks to Anita O'Brien, The Comic Museum




FILTER: - Exhibitions

The Reign of Terror - animation update

Tuesday, 21 June 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Theta-Sigma, animation partners with Big Finish for the recreation of missing episodes in 2|Entertain's The Reign of Terror DVD release, have provided an update on how the project is progressing:
We are now two days into production. After a fantastic preproduction period, images are pouring out of the studio. Meticulous research has been done, even involving the help of Paris University's Archaeology Department to get some of the period features, which do not appear in the extant episodes, correct. 3D models of every set used have been built as guides for our artists. Model sheets of the main characters and key backgrounds are now being painted. There's a fantastic buzz surrounding the project. Every member of the team is focused on getting detail and accuracy to the highest possible level.
The company have also sent a copy of a promotional poster created for 2|Entertain's ClassicDW Twitter account.

(with thanks to Austen Atkinson, Theta-Sigma)





FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

Torchwood: Miracle Day - UK Preview

Tuesday, 21 June 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Last night saw the first episode of Torchwood: Miracle Day - The New World - receive its UK premiere at the British Film Institute; cast and crew were in attendance for the screening in front of both press and fans.

The screening was followed by an Q&A with its stars John Barrowman, Eve Myles, and Bill Pullman, and writer/executive producer Russell T Davies; other members of the cast and crew were present in the audience, including Kai Owen, Tom Price, executive producer Julie Gardner and director of episode one, Bharat Nalluri.



Avoiding spoilers for what comes up later in the series, the guests focused upon their many anecdotes from the shoot, with Barrowman and Myles discussing the excitement of making the show at Warner Bros - not to mention the pranks the former likes to pull! - and Pullman commenting on what it was like to work with his Welsh co-stars on the project. When asked about if the show could become fully "American" in later (potential!) series, Davies indicated that he'd want Torchwood to remain Welsh at its heart.

Highlights from the Q&A are expected to be available to watch on the BFI website from next week.


Prior to the screening, the press were able to chat to the stars about the show, and the BBC have published an article including a video interview featuring Barrowman, Myles, Pullman and Davies discussing their thoughts on making a new, co-funded series in America.


"There's no time to breath, it slams you in the face with action, with drama and with the best narrative we've ever told."


"Jack's a hero, but he's been a bad guy in his times, so there's more depth and I think the audience love that - they like to see their characters portrayed a little flawed."


"In amongst all that, you have great big Torchwood chases, stunts and thrills, and jokes, and tragedies as well - so it's the same old Torchwood world."


"This character is almost like the impossible scenario - can you survive this? - which is to be clearly fingered as the worst person anyone has ever meet ... given this chance at immortality."


Bill Pullman appeared on BBC's Breakfast this morning, discussing the development (and name!) of his character, and also on what he thought of Russell T Davies:
I wasn't expecting - I'm thinking prototypical Welsh like Anthony Hopkins or Richard Burton, dark, moody - but he's bright, just such a passion, he is such a generous spirit, and very special to everybody that works with him. He has really, now, quite a following in the States - he and Julie Gardner run a very professional operation.
 

Davies himself can be heard discussing how he took the show from Wales to Los Angeles tonight on Front Row (BBC Radio 4) from 7:15pm.





FILTER: - Torchwood - Special Events - UK - Miracle Day (Series 4)

A Good Man Goes to War - Chart Placing

Friday, 17 June 2011 - Reported by Marcus
Doctor Who RatingsThe final episode of Doctor Who before the summer break, A Good Man Goes to War, just missed out on a top twenty place becoming the 21st most watched programme of the week.

The week was dominated by Britain's Got Talent, which was stripped across the week taking 12 of the top twenty places in the chart and helping to give ITV1 the top nineteen programmes.

Doctor Who was the second most watched programme on BBC Television just being edged out of top place by The Apprentice which had 40,000 more viewers.

The figures do not include those watching on iPlayer, where over 1.2 million people accessed the episode within 7 days of the broadcast, against The Apprentice's 1.0 million.




FILTER: - Doctor Who - Ratings - UK - Series 6/32

Canadian Premiere Date for Torchwood: Miracle Day

Friday, 17 June 2011 - Reported by Harry Ward
The Canadian channel, SPACE has announced that the new series of Torchwood will start on July 9th at 9pm ET with the first episode, The New World.

This currently only leaves the United Kingdom out of the four initial countries broadcasting Miracle Day to announce when the show will premiere; the BBC Press Office released details yesterday for Week 27, but Torchwood did not feature in the schedule listings leading up to the 8th July.





FILTER: - Canada - Torchwood - Miracle Day (Series 4)