Fan Productions RoundupBookmark and Share

Friday, 9 August 2013 - Reported by Marcus
Relative DimensionsRelative Dimensions

Relative Dimensions is a new fanzine, available free to download or as an A5 printed colour fanzine for £2 (exc. postage and packaging).

The premier issue features the first part of an interview with Third Doctor Jon Pertwee, conducted at Remembrance 1995. Jon tells stories of the world of acting, his family and, of course, Doctor Who.

Also inside...
  • Terrance Dicks - Legendary script writer/editor talks about about working with Pertwee and on Doctor Who.
  • Trial of the Timelord - Alan Fry Peters looks at Christopher Eccleston's run as the Doctor and questions whether the return was perfect or a let-down
  • This is Gallifrey - Writer J. D. Smith looks at the long and complex history of Gallifrey
  • Classic V New - Zoe Bond asks the question which is better: Classic Doctor Who or New Doctor Who?
  • Meet the New Doctors - In a brand new fan fiction series, meet not one but two new Doctors, plus a new fiction featuring the Sixth Doctor
The fanzine is available via the website.
Whotopia 2013 Summer SpecialWhotopia 2013 Summer Special

Celebrating 50 Years of Doctor Who
  • THE FANS HAVE SPOKEN
  • Bob Furnell reviews the results of our 50th Anniversary Series Survey
  • THE INDOMITABLE FOURTH DOCTOR
  • Thoughts on the Fourth Doctor by Paul Ferry
  • THE TOP TEN MONSTERS & VILLAINS
  • More survey analysis, this time with Jon Wesley Huff
  • A MIND OF EVIL
  • Gary Phillips' last article focusing on the iconic Roger Delgado
  • THE TOP TEN COMPANIONS
  • Ian Wheeler looks at the most popular companions according to survey results
  • ACCESSING THE SARAH JANE ADVENTURES
  • Callum McPherson explores the legacy of The Sarah Jane Adventures
  • REVIEWING THE TOP 25 STORIES OF ALL TIME
  • Our special review panel considers those stories singled out as the 25 best of the best
All this and more in the latest issue. Download your free copy in PDF format at whotopia.ca
Fourth DimensionFourth Dimension

A collection of Doctor Who fan fiction and reviews first published in the early Nineties is set to raise money for a UK cancer charity, Unite Against Cancer.

Fourth Dimension, by British Who fan Steven Miscandlon, collects 12 of his short stories and 31 reviews that were first published in various Doctor Who fan magazines between 1992 and 1996. The stories, which feature five of the original seven Doctors, range from short, fun pieces to darker and more thought-provoking tales, while the reviews cover not only a selection of televised Doctor Who stories, but also novels and other spin-off media released in the early Nineties. Also included is "The Gallifrey Incursion", a previously unpublished novelette-length story written in 1995.

The author was a regular contributor of fiction, articles and illustrations to well-respected fanzines such as Capitol Spires, Mandria, Silver Carrier, Metamorph and Shadowsphere, and also had pieces published in a handful of others, including Game of Rassilon, Club Tropicana, Circus and Borusa’s Trousers.

The book is available as both a paperback and a PDF ebook from Lulu.com, and other ebook formats are also available directly from the author. All profits from sales of the book will be donated to UK charity Unite Against Cancer, which was set up in 2012 to fund research into new cancer treatments.
Doctor What Episode 1

The first episode of a Doctor Who-based fanfic web series is now available on YouTube.




FILTER: - Fan Productions - Jon Pertwee - Christopher Eccleston

Doctor Who Live: Global AudienceBookmark and Share

Thursday, 8 August 2013 - Reported by Marcus
Doctor Who Live: The Next DoctorGlobal ratings are now available for last weekend’s broadcast of Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor, with the BBC estimating over 1.5 million fans around the world joined the 6.2 million who watched the show in the United Kingdom.

In the United States, BBC America reported 895,000 total viewers for the show which was broadcast at 2pm Eastern Time. This made it the best telecast ever outside of primetime among the 25-54 demographic, and it was only beaten by The Royal Wedding as the best non-prime telecast ever on the channel.

According to Trendrr.TV the 30-minute TV event was the most talked about TV show, apart from sport, on social media in the US, beating the likes of Justin Bieber: Never Say Never on MTV and Keeping Up With The Kardashians on E. On Tumblr, there were 11.84 million views of the Official US Doctor Who Tumblr since the show’s announcement, and fans created 3 million Doctor Who-related reblogs on the day of the show. Twitter activity around the special was double the sci-fi series’ season average for BBC America and at the peak of the activity, six out of the ten trending topics in the US were related to the announcement. Doctor Who continues to be the highest rating programme on the network.

In Canada the show was broadcast on SPACE, which reported 412,000 viewers at its peak for the special, making it the number one network for the key 18-54 demographic during that time.

While in Australia, 40,000 sacrificed sleep to tune into the live broadcast at 4am ET with a total of 200,000 watching the show or its repeat on ABC2. An additional 41,000 have so far watched the programme on iview, ABC’s catch up service.




FILTER: - Canada - USA - Ratings - Peter Capaldi - Australia

Commemorative Exhibition to open at ABC Ultimo Centre, SydneyBookmark and Share

Wednesday, 7 August 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster
ABC - Celebrating 50 Years of Doctor Who (Credit: ABC)

BBC Worldwide ANZ have announced a partnership with television network ABC to open a special Commemorative Exhibition at the ABC Ultimo Centre in Sydney, Australia. The free exhibition opens on Thursday 15th August until Friday 31st January 2014 (see below for opening times), and will have a variety of props on display from the series, including the Tenth Doctor’s costume and Astrid's costume from Voyage of the Damned (as played by national superstar Kylie Minogue), plus the Fourth Doctor's scarf, an original Dalek, an iconic TARDIS, Ood head, and Cybermat amongst the many other exhibits.

Jon Penn, Managing Director, BBC Worldwide ANZ, said:
The ABC has been the home of Doctor Who in Australia for all of its record-breaking 50 year history. I am delighted to be partnering again as we offer fans a chance to celebrate this important anniversary and to experience some of the wonderful history of this iconic and classic - BBC series.
Mark Scott, ABC's Managing Director, said:
I believe that in the long history of the ABC, there has only ever been one program for which we believed the Australian rights must cover all time and space dimensions—and that is the magnificent Doctor Who. We are delighted to be able to celebrate both its past and its endlessly fascinating future.

A wide variety of merchandise including exclusive souvenirs and collectables will be available from the ABC Shops and online.

Exhibition: Doctor Who Celebrating 50 Years of Adventures in Space and Time
Where: ABC Atrium, 700 Harris St, Ultimo 2007
Duration: Thursday 15th August – Friday 31st January 2014
Admission: Free to the public. Open to all ages.

Open Days/Times:
Weekdays: Monday to Friday 9am -5pm
Weekends: 10am – 5pm
(1) Saturday/Sunday – August 17 & 18
(2) Saturday/Sunday – August 31 & September 1
(3) Saturday/Sunday – October 5 & 6
(4) Saturday/Sunday – November 2 & 3
(5) Saturday/Sunday – November 23 & 24 – 50th Anniversary weekend
(6) Saturday/Sunday/Monday – January 25, 26 & 27

(NB: Exhibition unavailable from Monday 2nd September – Sunday 8th September due to election coverage)




FILTER: - Exhibitions - Australia

Doctor Who StoryBundle - Pay What You Want OfferBookmark and Share

Wednesday, 7 August 2013 - Reported by Marcus
In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who, StoryBundle is offering a specially curated set of six full length e-books featuring episode guides, producer autobiographies, coming-of-age stories and recipe books themed around Doctor Who.
StoryBundle is a platform for indie authors to get exposure for their works, both for the titles featured in the bundle and for the rest of their catalog.

Buyers pay what they like, subject to a minimum fee of $3.

The initial titles in The (Unofficial) Doctor Who Bundle are:
  • Dalek I Loved You: 50th Anniversary Edition by Nick Griffiths
  • Nick Griffiths' memoir of life as a Doctor Who fan, which has been praised by the UK Guardian and a former Doctor Who himself, David Tennant, and comes in a special 50th Anniversary update.
  • Who & Me by Barry Letts
  • The fascinating behind the scenes autobiography by the late Doctor Who producer Barry Letts - a key creative force on the show in the Jon Pertwee years, and who also worked with iconic Doctor Tom Baker.
  • TARDIS Eruditorum Volume 2: Patrick Troughton by Philip Sandifer
  • The second volume of collected and expanded posts from the popular blog TARDIS Eruditorum offers a critical history of the Patrick Troughton era of Doctor Who.
  • Dining With The Doctor: An Unauthorized Whovian Cookbook by Chris-Rachael Oseland
  • A cookbook to remember, celebrating the return of The Doctor with recipes themed around the first six seasons of the 2005 Doctor Who reboot - including dishes like Open Faced Dalek Ironsides, Sontaran Soldiers, Fish Custard Tacos, and a Cinnamon Pull Apart Crack in the Wall.
If you pay at least $10 you get two bonus books:
  • VWORP! by Earl Green
  • A key primer to the Doctor Who canon from 1963 through to the 2011 Xmas special, for both novices and experts alike.
  • The Best of TARDIS Eruditorum, by Philip Sandifer.
  • The Best of TARDIS Eruditorum collects twenty-one of the best and most popular essays from Philip Sandifer's acclaimed blog TARDIS Eruditorum.
Full details on the StoryBundle website.




FILTER: - Doctor Who - Production - Books - Patrick Troughton

Series 7 Soundtrack Release Date and Track ListBookmark and Share

Tuesday, 6 August 2013 - Reported by Harry Ward
Silva Screen has announced the release date and track list for the Doctor Who Series 7 soundtrack. As well as the standard double jewel case, a special limited edition gatefold wallet will be available to the first 5000 copies sold. The soundtrack will available to buy in the UK from 9th September, 2013 and the preorder will be available soon.


DISC ONE
    Asylum of the Daleks
  1. They Are Everywhere
  2. Save Us
  3. Dalek Parliament
  4. Towards The Asylum
  5. A Probe In The Snow
  6. Amy And Rory Together
  7. The Terrible Truth

  8. Dinosaurs On A Spaceship
  9. Dinosaurs On A Spaceship / Pterodactyls
  10. Brian
  11. Take A Ride On Tricey

  12. A Town Called Mercy
  13. Make Peace
  14. Welcome To Mercy
  15. Out West
  16. Gunslingers
  17. The Salvation Of Kahler Jex
  18. Our Little Town’s Prosecutor

  19. The Power of Three
  20. Cubes
  21. While We Waited
  22. Brian’s Log

  23. The Angels Take Manhattan
  24. New York New York
  25. I Am You
  26. Melody Malone
  27. Little Angels
  28. My Husband’s Home
  29. Hide The Damage
  30. Together Or Not At All - The Song Of Amy And Rory
  31. Goodbye Pond

  32. The Bells of Saint John
  33. Cumbria 1207
  34. Monking About
  35. Spoonheads
  36. Clara?
  37. A Turbulent Flight
  38. Bah Bah Biker
  39. Up The Shard
  40. I Might Change My Mind

DISC TWO
    The Rings of Akhaten
  1. The Leaf
  2. Something Awesome
  3. Market Day
  4. Merry Gejelh
  5. God of Akhaten
  6. The Speeder
  7. Never Wake
  8. The Long Song
  9. Infinite Potential
  10. Always You, Never A Replacement

  11. Cold War
  12. Cold War
  13. Skaldak

  14. Hide
  15. I Am A Ghost

  16. Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS
  17. A Machine That Makes Machines

  18. The Crimson Horror
  19. Crimson Horror
  20. Sweetville
  21. Thomas Thomas

  22. Nightmare in Silver
  23. Hedgewick's World
  24. Tiberian Spiral Galaxy
  25. Upgrade In Progress
  26. The Dream Of Cyberia
  27. What A Brain
  28. Can’t Win
  29. Your Orders Come From Me
  30. Other Good News
  31. The Impossible Girl
  32. Cyber Amy
  33. The Emperor’s Wife
  34. Some Wednesday

  35. The Name of the Doctor
  36. To Save The Doctor
  37. A Letter To Clara
  38. What Is His Name?
  39. A Secret He Will Take To His Grave
  40. Trenzalore
  41. I Am Information
  42. Pain Everlasting
  43. Remember Me
  44. Glasgow [Bonus track for iTunes]
  45. Whisper Men [Bonus track for iTunes]

Series 7 (soundtrack) - cover (Credit: Silva Screen)

Series 7 (soundtrack) - limited edition gatefold wallet (Credit: Silva Screen)




FILTER: - Audio - Series 7/33

Doctor Who takes over TwitterBookmark and Share

Tuesday, 6 August 2013 - Reported by Marcus
Doctor Who Live: The Next DoctorThe BBC has revealed the extent to which Sunday's announcement of the next Doctor took over the twitter-sphere, with the Corporation counting a total of 542,000 tweets reacting to the news that Peter Capaldi would be taking on the role come Christmas.

During the live show, Doctor Who Live; The Next Doctor, the number of tweets averaged 9,000 per minute, jumping to 22,081 a minute as the new Doctor was revealed, the highest TV tweet minute peak recorded this year.

The tweet with the first photograph from the official site was re-tweeted over 25,000 times.

For most of Sunday, during the build up to the announcement, #DoctorWho trended in the UK. Showrunner Steven Moffat trended number 1 in the UK and worldwide while former Doctor David Tennant trended at number 3 worldwide. The Twitter domination continued and at one point 7 of the ten UK’s trends were Doctor Who-related.


The audience for the live show peaked at 6.9 million in the UK and scored an Appreciation Index of 73.




FILTER: - Doctor Who - Ratings - Peter Capaldi

Peter Capaldi the FanBookmark and Share

Monday, 5 August 2013 - Reported by Marcus
As mentioned in earlier articles, Peter Capaldi is a self-confessed fan of the show. With the Radio Times report of his letter from 1974 posted last week, Doctor Who News reviewer and correspondent Matthew Kilburn has discovered in his own fanzine archive an article by Capaldi dating from May 1976.

DWIFC Magazine -  Issue 2, May 1976 (Credit: Matthew Kilburn)




FILTER: - Doctor Who - Fan Productions - Peter Capaldi

Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular to return in 2014Bookmark and Share

Monday, 5 August 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular 2014BBC Worldwide have announced that the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular is to once again take place in Australia, with three concerts to take place during January and February next year in Melbourne and Queensland, and the possibility of further performances in New Zealand.

A musical celebration of the iconic BBC series, the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular features Murray Gold’s captivating music from the Doctor Who series, accompanied by a big screen featuring specially edited sequences of Matt Smith’s performance as the Eleventh Doctor. A host of monsters including the spine-chilling Silence and the awe-inspiring Daleks and Cybermen will add to the electric atmosphere. Inspired by the Doctor Who Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, the 2014 show will feature all-new content - including a look back at some of the previous Doctors and also some of the music from the last five decades - as well as performances of some audience favourites from the 2012 show.

The new Spectacular is currently scheduled for the following dates:
  • 31st January (7:30pm) and 1st February (2:00pm) - Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
    Plenary Hall, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
    Bookings: 03 9929 9600 or visit www.mso.com.au

  • 8th February - Queensland Symphony Orchestra
    Brisbane Entertainment Centre
    Bookings: 132 849 or visit ticketek.com.au/doctorwho

Composer Murray Gold said:
It’s really special to be able to offer audiences the chance to experience this music as it was originally recorded. We worked with a symphonic orchestra on both the iconic theme tune and the rest of the series score and to hear the music performed by such world-class orchestras as the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the Queensland Symphony Orchestra is a fantastic opportunity for music lovers and Doctor Who fans alike.
André Gremillet, Managing Director of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, said:
Doctor Who is a landmark in the history of TV and has a passionate fan base; most importantly for us at the MSO, music has been a key component of the show’s success and durability; it is spine-tingling and inimitable. The MSO is excited to be able to share this unique concert experience with Melbourne Doctor Who fans. We’re also looking forward to the opportunity this concert presents to reach out to new audiences who may not have experienced the power of a live symphony orchestra before.
Sophie Galaise, CEO for Queensland Symphony Orchestra, said:
We are very excited to bring this international orchestral spectacular to Queensland with our own orchestra. I’ve worked on some major productions overseas including events with the Quebec Symphony Orchestra and over 1000 performers on stage at the Coliseum of Quebec; these are truly moving, memorable events, that should be shared and experienced by all. I anticipate Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular to be a monumental musical moment that we look forward to sharing with Queensland audiences.

Helen Pendlebury, Head of Commercial, Entertainment and Children’s Brands, BBC Worldwide Australia & New Zealand commented:
With Doctor Who celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, all eyes are on the Doctor. We are thrilled to work with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the Queensland Symphony Orchestra to bring this unique event back to Melbourne following its huge success last year, and to give fans in Queensland the chance to experience it for the first time. We hope to announce dates in New Zealand shortly.

The Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular is being presented in association with BBC Worldwide Australia and New Zealand. Tickets go on sale from the 6th August.





FILTER: - Music - New Zealand - Australia

Doctor Who Live: overnight viewing figuresBookmark and Share

Monday, 5 August 2013 - Reported by Marcus
Doctor Who Live: The Next DoctorDoctor Who Live; The Next Doctor was watched by 6.1 million viewers in the UK, according to unofficial overnight figures.

The audience peaked at 6.9 million viewers at the moment Peter Capaldi was unveiled as the 12th Doctor. The live broadcast was the highest rated show of Sunday, achieving a share of 29.8% of the total television audience. Second for the day was Countryfile with 5.6 million watching, while the evening News, including news of Capaldi's casting as The Doctor had 4.8 million watching.

ITV's highest rated show of the day was Law and Order:UK with 4.2 million viewers. Against the Doctor Who reveal, Tipping Point: Lucky Stars had 3.9 million viewers.

Final official figures will be available next week. The Live show was also broadcast in the USA, Canada and Australia.




FILTER: - Ratings - UK

Doctor Who Prom for 26th AugustBookmark and Share

Monday, 5 August 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Daleks at the Prom (Credit: BBC/Robert Viglasky)As well as revealing a new Doctor live on air, presenter Zoë Ball also announced during last night's Doctor Who Live that this year's Doctor Who Prom will be broadcast on television on Monday 26th August. The programme had previously been reported for a BBC One outing, though the time has yet to be announced for the summer Bank Holiday broadcast.

The Prom was performed twice over the weekend of 13th/14th July, and was presented by Matt Smith, Jenna Coleman, Neve McIntosh and Dan Starkey (the latter two in character as Vastra and Strax).




FILTER: - Music - UK - Broadcasting