Strax Field Report

Friday, 20 December 2013 - Reported by Melad Moshiri
The BBC have released a teaser to promote The Time of the Doctor for its Christmas premiere.

The latest Strax Field Report shows Sontaran Commander Strax chronicling the Doctor's lives from his first incarnation to his eleventh incarnation.


When discussing the Eighth Doctor, the now established regeneration sequence from Paul McGann to John Hurt is shown.

Concerning the ongoing regeneration body question, Strax refers to John Hurt's incarnation as the "warrior" (War Doctor) before proceeding to regard Christopher Eccleston's as the "ninth" Doctor.

The Time of the Doctor premieres in the UK on BBC One on Christmas Day at 7:30pm.




FILTER: - Time and the Doctor

Blue Peter sonic device contest winners announced

Thursday, 19 December 2013 - Reported by John Bowman
The three winners of the Blue Peter competition to design sonic devices to be used in Doctor Who were announced today on the CBBC magazine show's Christmas special.

Last month, viewers aged between six and 15 were invited to come up with gadgets that could be used by the characters Commander Strax, Madame Vastra, or Jenny Flint - and the show received some 3,600 entries over 12 days.

The winners were revealed on today's edition as 13-year-old Connor from Somerset, 11-year-old Arthur from Hampshire, and seven-year-old Amber from Kent. (No surnames were given.) They were chosen by a panel of judges that included Doctor Who's head writer and executive producer Steven Moffat, producer Nikki Wilson, production designer Michael Pickwoad, and brand account manager Edward Russell, Blue Peter editor Ewan Vinnicombe and series producer Ellen Evans, plus CBBC presenter Chris Johnson.

Connor designed a sonic gauntlet for use by Jenny. His intricate invention included a tumbler to make locks fall apart, a radioactivity measurer and receiver dish, and a watch that shows the conductivity of metal in a lock. Moffat said that the design was a multi-purpose toolkit that fitted in your arm and could do a whole manner of things:
We love this because it looks really cool. It looks quite steam-punk – it looks Victorian, but looks technological at the same time, and I can just imagine Jenny Flint when she goes out in the morning needing something like that on her arm.
Arthur's design was a sonic lorgnette – a pair of handheld eyeglasses - for Commander Strax. It included an X-ray lens for seeing inside people and objects, a thermal lens for detecting people, and a sonic light. Moffat called it a beautiful design that was perfect for Strax:
You feel you want to pick it up and hold it, but it's also about the other side of his life because - of course - Strax is a nurse and this allows him to examine his patients and see what's wrong with them. I think it will be very funny seeing Strax's big clumsy hands holding that.
Amber's winning device for Madame Vastra was a sonic hat pin that works as a remote control for her carriage but can also turn into a sonic sword that increases in size with the flick of a special switch, and Moffat said:
The sonic hat pin is a glorious idea. It can actually summon her carriage just by plucking it out of her hat, and she can lock it as well. It's funny, it makes absolute sense and it's got a little dinosaur feather in it, which sells it to me.
In an interview recorded for the show, he said:
All the finalists, they've all won because every single one of these ideas is good enough to be in Doctor Who . . They're all brilliant . . . There were so many stories there, that's what impressed me. It wasn't just the idea or the drawing or something simple, it was the whole back story to what this does, what its limitations are, what it costs you, how it gives you something. It's more than just design, it's actual narrative, and a huge exercise of the imagination.
Vinnicombe told BBC staff magazine Ariel:
The Doctor Who production team gave us a great opportunity. They offered us the option of three characters, which was brilliant because it gave every child a chance to design for their favourite one.
The winners joined Blue Peter presenters Barney Harwood, Lindsey Russell and Radzi Chinyanganya in Salford and will also be invited to Cardiff to see their devices being used on the Doctor Who set.

A video message of congratulations from actors Dan Starkey, Neve McIntosh and Catrin Stewart, who portray Strax, Vastra and Jenny respectively, was played during the show, with the trio saying they were looking forward to using the new devices in the series.

The winning designs are shown here:


and are also featured, along with the designs that were runners-up, in an online gallery, while the programme is currently available to watch in the UK via the BBC iPlayer (go to 16:44).





FILTER: - Steven Moffat - Doctor Who - Competitions

Two revealing Christmas episode pictures released

Thursday, 19 December 2013 - Reported by John Bowman
Two more pictures from The Time of the Doctor have been released by the BBC, with both of them appearing to show the Doctor - as played by Matt Smith - naked inside the TARDIS.


They were released to media following last night's press screening of the Christmas episode. The event was held at the BFI in London, as tweeted by Doctor Who brand account manager Edward Russell:



The episode - Smith's last as the Doctor - airs on BBC One on Christmas Day at 7.30pm.




FILTER: - Time and the Doctor - Matt Smith - Publicity - BBC

An Adventure in Space and Time - Music Release

Wednesday, 18 December 2013 - Reported by Marcus
Silva Screen Records have announced the release of a CD containing music from An Adventure in Space and Time.

The drama, about the origins of Doctor Who, was broadcast last month as part of the 50th Anniversary celebrations. The soundtrack featuring the score by Edmund Butt will be released early in 2014

TRACK LIST

  1. Main Title – An Adventure In Space And Time (0:38)
  2. The Right Man (1:17)
  3. The First Woman Producer (1:21)
  4. I’ve Got An Idea.. (1:34)
  5. The Daleks (2:52)
  6. Kill Dr. Who (1:48)
  7. What Dimension? (1:24)
  8. This Is My Show (1:50)
  9. Autograph Hunting (2:31)
  10. Sydney Newman (1:00)
  11. Scarlett O’hara (1:03)
  12. Piss & Vinegar (1:24)
  13. Dressing Room (1:18)
  14. Jfk Assassinated (1:48)
  15. The Tardis (0:57)
  16. Goodbye Susan (2:37)
  17. 10 Million Viewers (0:57)
  18. The Fans (0:41)
  19. I’m So Sorry Bill (2:45)
  20. Kiss Goodbye (1:05)
  21. My Successor (1:06)
  22. Isop Galaxy (0:50)
  23. Irreplaceable (1:19)
  24. The New Doctor (3:55)
  25. Time’s Up.. (1:15)
Writer Mark Gatiss talked about the release
As many of you reading this may know, An Adventure in Space and Time has been the summation of a long-held dream of mine to tell the story of the birth-pangs of ‘Doctor Who’.

Making ‘Adventure’ was a wonderful experience. The whole team were absolutely dedicated to the project, going the extra mile (or parsec) to create that smoggy early 60s world where so much seemed (and was) suddenly possible. And none more so than Edmund Butt whose gorgeous score is one of the highlights of the film.

I’ve been completely overwhelmed by the response to the film. It was a very special project from the outset and I know Ed’s soundtrack will continue to thrill and delight for, well, the rest of space and time…
An Adventure in Space and Time will be repeated in the UK on Christmas Day at 4.15pm on BBC Two, plus a special broadcast with sign language on Saturday 21 December at 1.50am.




FILTER: - Music - WHO50

The Time of The Doctor: extended trailer

Wednesday, 18 December 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster
BBC America have released an exclusive new one minute trailer for the forthcoming Christmas Special, The Time of The Doctor, due to premiere in the United States on Christmas Day at 9:00pm ET.





FILTER: - BBC America - Online - Time and the Doctor - Publicity

Steven Moffat in praise of Remembrance of the Daleks

Wednesday, 18 December 2013 - Reported by John Bowman
With the 50th anniversary of the first appearance of the Daleks on TV screens fast approaching, a video tribute by Doctor Who's current showrunner Steven Moffat to their last story during the classic era - Remembrance of the Daleks - was posted today by the BBC on the programme's official site.

In the piece, he says of the 1988 four-parter:
Terrific script, terrific, pacy, very modern, very of-its-time script, very, very well directed and with one of the best spaceship landings we've had in Doctor Who. Back in the day when they had no CGI, when they barely had post-production, a spaceship landing in a school playground . . . they did it superbly. Genius! And a superlative story.
Moffat's comments were recorded last year as part of a mini series in which he talked about the Daleks in general to publicise their return in Asylum of the Daleks and, in subsequent video posts, looked at what he considered to be the best and most significant Dalek adventures.





FILTER: - Steven Moffat - Online - Seventh Doctor - Second Doctor - First Doctor - Classic Series

The Moonbase DVD Details

Wednesday, 18 December 2013 - Reported by Connor Johnston
BBC Worldwide have released the artwork, trailer and details for the forthcoming DVD of the second Doctor story The Moonbase, which is due for release in the United Kingdom early January next year.

The DVD was originally due to be released this October, with animated versions of episodes 1 and 3. However, this was later put on hold to allow further work on the animation to be completed.

Starring Patrick Troughton as the Doctor, Michael Craze as Ben, Anneke Wills as Polly, Frazer Hines as Jamie and guest-starring Patrick Barr, Andre Maranne and Michael Wolf, The Moonbase was originally screened in February and March 1967, and with episodes 1 and 3 animated it will become the earliest complete Troughton story available on DVD.
In 2070 the Doctor and his travelling companions Jamie (Frazer Hines), Polly (Anneke Wills) and Ben (Michael Craze) arrive on the Moon and set out to visit the Moonbase, a manned structure used to control the Earth's weather through a device known as the Gravitron. All is not well on the Moonbase, however, with many of its crew suffering from a mysterious virus.
Special features on the DVD include:
  • Fully remastered Episodes 2 and 4.
  • Newly animated Episodes 1 and 3, with original off-screen soundtrack recordings.
  • Commentary on Episodes 2 and 4: a traditional commentary with actors Anneke Wills, Frazer Hines and Edward Phillips and Special Sounds creator Brian Hodgson.
  • On Episodes 1 and 3, a series of interviews featuring writer Kit Pedler's daughters Lucy Pedler and Carol Topolski, archive interviews with producer Innes Lloyd, assistant floor manager Lovett Bickford, and Cyberman actors Barry Noble, Derek Chaffer and Reg Whitehead. Moderated and linked by Toby Hadoke.
  • Lunar Landing – Cast and crew look back on the making of the story. With actors Anneke Wills, Frazer Hines and Reg Whitehead, plus production assistant Desmond McCarthy.
  • Photo Gallery – Production, design and publicity photos from the story.
  • Coming Soon – A trailer for a forthcoming DVD release.
  • Radio Times listings.
  • Programme subtitles.
  • Subtitle production notes.

The DVD is available to order at amazon.co.uk and amazon.com.




FILTER: - Merchandise - Second Doctor - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD - Patrick Troughton

BBC One Christmas Day Trailer

Tuesday, 17 December 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster
The BBC have released a trailer for Christmas Day programming on BBC One, which as well as including Doctor Who (7:30pm) also features Strictly Come Dancing (5:00pm), Call The Midwife (6:15pm), Eastenders (8:30pm), Mrs Brown's Boys (9:30pm) and Michael McIntyre's Showtime (10:00pm).





FILTER: - Time and the Doctor - Publicity - BBC

Peter Davison to host Symphonic Spectacular

Tuesday, 17 December 2013 - Reported by Connor Johnston
Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular 2014 BBC Worldwide have today announced the host for the 2014 Australian and New Zealand tour of the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular will be the fifth Doctor himself, Peter Davison.

The show runs in Melbourne from 31st January to 1st February before moving to Brisbane on 8th February and Wellington from 21st February to 22nd February.

Peter Davison, who played the Doctor for three years between 1981 and 1984, said today
I am really looking forward to coming to Australia and New Zealand as part of the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular tour, as well as coming face to face with any Daleks or Cybermen who may turn up along the way. The music of Doctor Who is amazing, and nothing can compare to hearing it performed live by orchestras of the calibre of the Melbourne, Queensland and New Zealand Symphony Orchestras.
Joining Davison will be conductor Ben Foster, who has conducted almost all of Murray Gold's music for the revived series since 2005. He also shared his delight in returning to the tour from his involvement last year:
I am delighted to be back on tour with the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular. Doctor Who has been such a big part of my life for such a long time – it’s great to share this experience with so many fans.
The content that will be performed in the live shows will include music spanning across the whole 50-year history of the show, many recent favourites as well as music from this years Christmas Special The Time of the Doctor.




FILTER: - Music - Special Events - Peter Davison - New Zealand - Australia

Canada changes start time of Christmas episode to show Matt Smith special

Tuesday, 17 December 2013 - Reported by John Bowman
Canadian TV channel Space will be broadcasting The Time of the Doctor an hour later than originally planned to make way for the documentary Doctor Who: Farewell to Matt Smith, it has announced.

The Christmas episode will now go out at 9pm Eastern Time/6pm Pacific Time, with the retrospective being added to the schedule and taking the episode's original slot of 8pm (ET)/5pm (PT).

Space's revised Doctor Who programming over Christmas is now currently as follows (all times as ET):
    Thursday 26th December
  • 12.10am – An Adventure in Space and Time
  • 2am – Doctor Who: Farewell to Matt Smith
  • 3am – The Time of the Doctor
  • 4.30am – The Day of the Doctor
UPDATE - 18th DECEMBER: Space has subsequently made more changes to its schedule, including moving the drama An Adventure In Space and Time from late night on 25th December to just into 26th December. The above blocks now show all the correct transmission times at present.




FILTER: - Canada - Specials - Time and the Doctor - Broadcasting