AudioGo: Winter Releases

Friday, 19 October 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster

AudioGo have released details on audio titles in their spoken word range due to be released towards the end of the year.

After November's Destiny of The Daleks, the next in the television soundtrack range will also be the following adventure, City of Death, again with linking narration and bonus interview from Lalla Ward (Romana). Meanwhile, the next Eleventh Doctor story, Snake Bite, will be the final one to feature the characters of Amy and Rory.

City of Death
Written by David Agnew
Narrated by Lalla Ward
Released Winter 2012 (CD)

Whilst sightseeing in Paris, 1979, the Doctor and Romana notice a series of unexplained temporal disturbances – ‘like a crack in time,’ as the Doctor puts it. They discover that Count Scarlioni, has a knowledge of advanced technology that far exceeds that of normal 20th century Parisians. Not only that, the Count is forcing a genius professor to undertake time experiments. The question is, why? As the time travellers become involved in an audacious plan to steal the Mona Lisa it becomes evident sinister forces are afoot… What lies behind the Count’s suave persona and what are his plans, not only for Paris, but the entire world? The Doctor and his friends must find the answers before time runs out.

In an exclusive bonus interview Lalla Ward recalls her time as Romana in the BBC TV series. Also included are colour PDF files of the original TV scripts.

Snake Bite
Written by Scott Handcock
Read by Frances Barber
Released Winter 2012 (CD)

After a lifetime spent working on her secret project, Doctor Elehri Mussurana and her husband, Ernst Wharner, watch in awe as their experiment reaches its final, glorious fruition. A wormhole in time and space is being created… Then the unexpected occurs: inside the swirling vortex appears a tall blue box...

Potential disaster awaits the Doctor, Rory and Amy as the Tardis arrives in a scientific research outpost far into the future just as the fabric of reality is ripped at the seams and the universe tears in two….

This story is the final Audio Original to feature Amy and Rory, as played by Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill who left the most recent TV episode ‘The Angels Take Manhattan’.

FILTER: - Merchandise - Audio - Classic Series - BBC

Air Lock for March

Thursday, 18 October 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster

As reported by Dan Hall at Recon last month, the new issue of Doctor Who Magazine has a summary of the DVDs scheduled for the beginning of 2013, which includes the announcement that the recently recovered and restored third episode of the William Hartnell story Galaxy 4, Air Lock, will be released as a bonus episode on the special edition version of Season 1 story The Aztecs.

Other releases lined up for the first quarter include the previously reported Legacy Box on 7th January, the animation-enhanced The Reign of Terror on 28th January, a special edition version of The Ark in Space on 18th February, and the above-mentioned special edition of The Aztecs on 11th March. No features for the DVDs have been announced at present.

In addition, the last 'intact' story of the range, Terror of the Zygons has been announced for June (The Mind of Evil undergoing colour restoration) - features for the final Tom Baker release were unexpectedly revealed by the BBFC back in July.

Finally, DWM also revealed that Jon Pertwee's inaugural story Spearhead from Space is to be released yet again in June, this time taking advantage of the 'classic' series story's unique film recording to produce a high-definition Blu-ray presentation. Features on this release will include an extensive biography on Pertwee and an obituary for his co-star Caroline John, who died earlier this year.

Future History ...

Since our summer update the list of currently unannounced titles has diminished rapidly, with only fourteen episodes remaining to see the DVD treatment:

The First Doctor: The Tenth Planet - three existing episodes, missing episode four
The Second Doctor: The Underwater Menace: Episode 2
The Second Doctor: The Ice Warriors - four existing episodes, missing episodes two+three
The Third Doctor: The Mind of Evil - all six episodes, episode one is in the process of being colourised

In addition, several special edition versions of previously released stories are expected during the course of the year, including Inferno.

FILTER: - Merchandise - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

Big Finish: UNIT Dominion

Wednesday, 17 October 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Later this month Big Finish release Doctor Who – UNIT: Dominion, an epic five-disc box set that reunites the Seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) with his cat burglar companion Raine Creevy (Beth Chalmers) in a fight to save the universe. Joining the fray are Dr Elizabeth Klein (Tracey Childs), scientific advisor to UNIT, and a future incarnation of the Doctor (Alex Maqueen).

Producer David Richardson said:

UNIT: Dominion is a massive story. The script was enormous and we realized when we were making it that it’s actually the same length as The Invasion. But it needed to be that long to tell a tale of such scope, which crosses between multiple dimensions.

To count down to the release, Big Finish have released a number of digital postcards, such as the ones below which feature the Seventh Doctor, Raine, the Other Doctor, Sergeant Pete Wilson, the Nexus, the Skyheads and the Mind Leeches.

The boxed set can be pre-ordered on its own, or as part of a fifteen disc bundle from Big Finish with productions Love and War, Dark Eyes, Voyage to Venus and Voyage to the New.

FILTER: - Merchandise - Audio - Big Finish

Mary Tamm: Second Generation

Wednesday, 17 October 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Fantom Publishing have announced the publication of the second part of the actress Mary Tamm's autobiography. Second Generation continues on from the first volume, with the late actress imparting her personal recollections of playing Romana during her final three Doctor Who stories from Season 16.

Publisher Dexter O'Neill said:

We want to make this book the ultimate celebration of a wonderful person who we so sorely miss. We are presenting the entirety of her writings together with tributes and anecdotes from Mary's closest friends and colleagues.

The book is due to be published early next year, and will be available in both paperback and a limited edition hardback with additional photographs. Pre-order details can be found via the Fantom website.

FILTER: - People - Merchandise - Auto/Biography - Books

Doctor Who Magazine 453

Wednesday, 17 October 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster

The new issue of Doctor Who Magazine (out tomorrow) speaks to Karen Gillan about leaving Doctor Who after three years as the Doctor's companion:

I am so, so sad. I'm not going to lie. Leaving that show has to be one of the saddest experiences I've ever had. It was my life for, like, three years. That's going to take a while to go away. But also it's really exciting, because I get to go and do other things...

Also in this issue:

The First Lady of Time: DWM looks at the life and times of Mary Tamm, the actress who played the Fourth Doctor’s companion Romana, with never-before-seen photos and tributes from her friends and colleagues including Louise Jameson, John Leeson, and Anthony Read.
Matt's Missing Scene! Just how old is the Doctor nowadays? The clue’s in his hair, as showrunner Steven Moffat reveals, as he presents a missing scene from The Angels Take Manhattan – exclusively in Production Notes.
The Fear Factor: There have been some truly terrifying moments in Doctor Who's 49-year history... and, just in time for Halloween, DWM 453 celebrates the very best of them! Fear-merchants Philip Hinchcliffe and Terrance Dicks are on hand to give their expert opinion, so prepare to have your blood chilled and your spine tingled, with The A-Z Of Dread...
Rough Justice? DWM look back at the season that gave us the longest story ever, an evil future Doctor and Bonnie Langford, as The Trial of a Time Lord is put under the spotlight in Countdown To 50!
Daleks vs Cybermen! Witness the greatest battle in history as the Daleks and Cybermen come face to face with the Tenth Doctor and Rose in Torchwood HQ. It's Doomsday – and what will The Time Team make of it all...?
A Matter of Life and Death: It's one of the most controversial issues currently challenging fandom – the Doctor’s morality. Are there circumstances where it's acceptable for him to kill his enemies, or should this be avoided at all costs? Toby Hadoke and Johnny Candon argue the pros and cons in A Battle of Wits
Death in Prague: The Doctor, Amy and Rory encounter a legendary monster and terrifying creatures from another dimension in The Broken Man, the brand new comic strip written by Scott Gray and illustrated by Martin Geraghty.
The Secret Companion: Celebrate 20 years of Bernice Summerfield, as DWM talks to Paul Cornell, Lisa Bowerman, Jac Rayner, Gary Russell and Scott Handcock about one of the most enduring Doctor Who characters of all time.
Zap! The mysterious Watcher examines the Doctor’s little-known use of weaponry (including his ray-gun), challenges readers with The Six Faces of Delusion and champions another Supporting Artist of the Month, in Wotcha!

In addition, DWM catches up with former Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies and chats exclusively with him about his brand new show – Wizards vs Aliens – and just why Doctor Who fans will want to watch...

PLUS! All the latest official news, the latest episodes, DVDs, books and CDs reviewed, sneak previews of forthcoming merchandise, a prize-winning crossword, FIVE fantastic competitions and much, much more!

FILTER: - Merchandise - Magazines - DWM

Doctor Who goes UltraViolet

Friday, 12 October 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster

BBC Worldwide have announced that they are to utilise the new UltraViolet technology for future DVD and Blu-ray releases, with the Doctor Who: Series 7 Part 1 boxed set forming one of the initial releases to benefit.

UltraViolet is a new approach to help combat video piracy by enabling purchasers to "buy one, play anywhere" - a digital version of the item they have bought is also made available, which can then be played on up to twelve different devices, such as computers, mobiles and tablets, as well as streaming and download for online/offline viewing.

As well as Doctor Who, the initial range includes Top Gear Special Commission, Attenborough: 60 Years in the Wild, Rollercoaster (John Bishop). To enable UltraViolet, BBC Worldwide have teamed up with content delivery provider Flixster to provide the digital copies.

Claude London, Digital Director for BBC Worldwide Consumer Products, said:

We're thrilled to be announcing our first UV-enabled DVDs and embrace this new era for home video - the UltraViolet era. We hope UV will empower consumers to build digital entertainment libraries and continue to enjoy BBC Worldwide releases either at home or on the move. We will continue to work as part of the UV consortium and with our supporting partner Flixster on further releases for early 2013.

Doctor Who: Series 7 Part 1 is available to pre-order in the UK on both DVD and Blu-Ray formats.

FILTER: - Merchandise - BBC Worldwide - Blu-ray/DVD

Doctor Who Homeware Range Launched

Wednesday, 3 October 2012 - Reported by John Bowman

A range of Doctor Who homeware products has been launched by BBC Worldwide.

Called Doctor Who Home and created by design partner Skew & Rude, it has Daleks, Cybermen, and the TARDIS emblazoned on a total of 14 products, including jugs, mugs, cups, teapots, cards, notepads, and gift wrap, as well as textiles and kitchen accessories. They will be available in shops from the end of next month.

David Wilson-Nunn, the creative director of BBC Worldwide, led the appointment to exploit a perceived gap in the market for 16-to-60-year-old fans, having previously worked with Skew & Rude on strategic work for the programme. He said the TARDIS graphic, which is featured on boxed card packaging, was "like a secondary brand logo for us – the one thing that never changes and something we can use across everything".

Abi Williams, the founder and director of Skew & Rude, said the designs had been created by "vectorising images and then developing block colour work and playing with shapes across product ranges". She added: "We're working on the next season to follow this collection. We want to push the design as far as possible and have two fantastic concepts for a product brand."

FILTER: - Merchandise - Doctor Who - BBC Worldwide

The Finished Product: Issue 11

Sunday, 30 September 2012 - Reported by John Bowman

The latest edition of The Finished Product - the unofficial companion to the Big Finish audio adventures - is available now.

Issue 11 covers the second season of adventures featuring the Eighth Doctor and Lucie Miller.

It has all-new, exclusive interviews with the cast and crew, including executive producer Nicholas Briggs on remixing the theme, writers Pat Mills, Jonathan Morris, Jonathan Clements, Marc Platt, Eddie Robson, and Paul Magrs, as well as guest actors Harry Potter star Sean Biggerstaff and Colin Spaull, plus composer Timothy Sutton on writing the song Falling Star.

It also features previously-unseen and exclusive cover sketches by Grant Kempster.

To order the magazine, contact editor Kenny Smith via thefinishedproduct@hotmail.co.uk

FILTER: - Merchandise - Fan Productions - Big Finish

TARDIS Eruditorum Volume 2

Saturday, 29 September 2012 - Reported by John Bowman

A second volume of the TARDIS Eruditorum blog by Philip Sandifer has been published, taking a critical look at the Patrick Troughton era of Doctor Who story by story.

Sandifer, who holds a PhD in English focusing on film and media studies, says the blog's aim is to provide a comprehensive critical overview of Doctor Who that moves beyond received fan wisdom to tell the evolving story of one of the most important and remarkable pieces of popular culture ever created.

TARDIS Eruditorum has been hailed as "absolutely fascinating and hugely persuasive" by Robert Shearman.

Sandifer uses the blog to provide a complete reconceptualisation of Doctor Who that acknowledges and takes seriously strands of thought and themes that have been marginalised by the fan orthodoxy represented in existing publications, revealing a show with startling and intriguing implications. Under his critical knife, Doctor Who becomes more than just a classic sci-fi show but a show that tells the story of an entire strain of mystical, avant-garde, and radical culture in Great Britain - a show that is quite literally about all of time and space, everything that ever happened, and everything that ever will.

This volume focuses on Doctor Who's intersection with psychedelic Britain and with the radical leftist counterculture of the late-1960s, exploring its connections with James Bond, social realism, dropping acid, and overthrowing the government - along, of course, with scads of monsters, the introduction of UNIT, and the Land of Fiction itself.

Every essay on the Troughton era has been revised and expanded, along with eight new essays written exclusively for this collected edition, including a thorough look at UNIT dating, an exploration of just what was lost in the wiping of the missing episodes, and a look at Stephen Baxter's The Wheel of Ice.

On top of that, you'll discover:

Whether The Mind Robber implies an alternative origin for the Doctor in which he is not a Time Lord but a lord of something else entirely
How The Evil of the Daleks reveals the secrets of alchemy
What can be seen on a walking tour of London's alien invasions

It is available to buy through Amazon.

Volume one, which centres on the William Hartnell years, was published last November.

FILTER: - Merchandise - Books - Patrick Troughton

AudioGo: November Releases

Thursday, 27 September 2012 - Reported by Chuck Foster

AudioGo have released details on audio titles in their spoken word range due to be released in November.

The television soundtrack releases continue with the Fourth Doctor adventure Destiny of The Daleks with linking narration by Lalla Ward (Romana), who also recalls her time on Doctor Who in a special bonus interview. Meanwhile, a new adventure for the Eleventh Doctor, Amy and Rory sees them encounter The Sleepers in The Dust in a story that is a sequel to last year's The Eye of the Jungle.

Destiny of The Daleks
Written by Terry Nation
Narrated by Lalla Ward
Released 4th November 2012 (CD) (pre-order)

Having returned to their home planet Skaro, the Daleks are excavating their former city – but for what? The Doctor and Romana soon find themselves caught in the middle of a war between two different races.

This full-cast TV adventure from 1979 stars Tom Baker as the Doctor alongside Lalla Ward as Romana, who also provides specially recorded linking narration. In a bonus interview Lalla recalls her time on Doctor Who, whilst additional pdf files contain colour scans of the original episode camera scripts.

The Sleepers in The Dust
Written by Darren Jones
Read by Arthur Darvill
Released 1st November 2012 (CD) (pre-order)

On an apparently lifeless world, the Doctor and his friends battle against plague. Will they find the cause - and the cure?

This story features the return of the Nadurni, whom the Doctor first encountered in last year’s audio original The Eye of the Jungle.

Arthur Darvill – Rory in the TV series – reads this nail-biting original adventure.

FILTER: - Merchandise - Audio - Classic Series - BBC

Previous 10 Stories