The Girl Who Died - Press Reaction

Sunday, 18 October 2015 - Reported by Marcus

The Girl Who Died (Credit: BBC/Simon Ridgway)

This item Contains Plot Spoilers

Press reaction for this weeks episode, The Girl Who Died, is in with The Guardian calling the story and enjoyable daft romp. "Vikings have been a puzzling omission from most of Doctor Who, only cropping up once before The Time Meddler in 1965; so presumably the Doctor is rarely in the mood to tangle with Vikings. Throwing in an electric eel-based attack strategy and the Benny Hill theme music, there’s plenty of fun to be had here before the dark twists of the final minutes."

The Telegraph enjoyed the pace of the episode "The attack and battle sequence zipped through at speed. If it felt a little rushed it didn't hugely matter, as it was clearly setting up for a bigger second half."

The Express found the episode underwhelming, comparing the episode to the series Game of Thrones, in which the guest actor, Maisie Williams, stars. "Maisie was good as Ashildr - the girl who can make her visions come to life - but for the most part it did feel as if she was just playing a viking version of Arya Stark from the HBO fantasy series."

Radio Times, after being critical of the first part of the series this year, enjoyed the episode praising it as a return to a more traditional type of story. "It taps into a very traditional vein but again slyly transcends it, and achieves that holy grail of TV drama – unpredictability." They praise the writer Jamie Mathieson who wrote last year's story Mummy on the Orient Express and who co-wrote this story with Steven Moffat. "It rarely feels predictable. It never bores. I lost count of the times I thought, “Oh, I didn’t expect that.” After a lifetime of watching this series, that’s rare."

The Metro , while disappointed by the premise of the episode, also praised the writing. "Between them, writers Jamie Mathieson and Steven Moffat just about get away with it by not taking it too seriously. The Doctor flounces around, naming the villagers after characters from EastEnders, Scooby Doo, Noggin the Nog and the 1980s band ZZ Top before he finally pulls a rabbit out of a hat – or an electric eel out of a vat – to bring hope to the hopeless."

Digital Spy thought the episode unlike any other in the series history, varying wildly in tone. "It's fast-paced, with sharp, funny dialogue and some great clowning from Peter Capaldi, who seems far more comfortable with this sort of material than he was 12 months ago. Scenes in which hapless Vikings are spooked by false Gods are almost Monty Python-esque" AV Club tells its readers to go and watch the episode immediately. "This isn't an episode where the Doctor pretends to not have a plan right up to the opportune moment. He genuinely has no idea how he, Clara, and a bunch of Norse farmers and fishermen are going to defeat one of the galaxy’s most fearsome warrior races"

TV.com wants to wait until next weeks episode before passing judgement. "The Girl Who Died" appeared to be an open-and-shut, single-hour adventure as the Doctor came, saw, and saved the day, but it was still just setting us up for whatever is to come next week." while Mashable thought Maisie Williams was underused. "Sure, she nailed her speech about not fitting in with either girls or boys, but that was way too short to showcase her talents. As was the whole setup where she effectively challenges the Mire to a duel, and the Mire helmet visualization that kills her."

Den of Geek was slightly disappointed by the character of Ashildr, given the wild speculation over the character's origins that had taken place online. "Once one gets past the fact that Williams is not playing Susan or some other familiar character, it’s easier to embrace the story she’s in and who she is playing: the Viking girl Ashildr. And yeah, Ashildr is pretty important to the Doctor too, it turns out. Or at least she becomes important by the end of “The Girl Who Died."

gamesRadar wasn't convinced by the alien race, the Mire. "The armoured suits are fun, and the make up once their helmets came off well-realised, but there’s no real sense of threat. That’s fitting given that the Doctor's solution hinges on them being all mouth and no space trousers, but it’s hard to believe that he was genuinely troubled by them earlier on."

Indie wire loved the portrayal of The Doctor. Capaldi is having a whale of a time and isn't even trying to hide it. He wisecracks, technobabbles and emotes like the best of them, thankfully securing his place in the pantheon of Really Good Doctors. Now that he's finally come into his own, having been poorly served by last season's patchy writing, he's up there with Baker, Pertwee and Eccleston (yes, I said it).

Finally Wales online had no doubt what the talking point of the episode would be. "At last, we are told exactly why the Doctor chose THIS face. I no doubt believe that this point will be spoken about for many years to come."

You can read the Doctor Who News review in our reviews section.

FILTER: - Press - Series 9/35

Before the Flood - Press Reaction

Sunday, 11 October 2015 - Reported by Marcus

Before the Flood (Credit: BBC / Simon Ridgway)

This item Contains Plot Spoilers

Press reaction to Doctor Who: Before the Flood is in, with the Guardian admiring the timey wimey structure of the story, finding it mind-boggling in its ingenuity, its time-hopping central premise enough to leave you scratching your head for days". They loved the the main protagonist, "I’m not one to scare easily, but found the realisation of the Fisher King difficult to look at, putting this old fanboy in mind of the Destroyer from 1989’s Battlefield (surely a design classic).".

The Telegraph felt the fisher king was underused. "The scares were fewer this week – though there was certainly tension to be found in a deaf woman being followed by a ghost wielding an axe. And the much-hyped Fisher King was sadly little seen....Given that the character’s voice was performed by the talented Peter Serafinowicz (Star Wars’ Darth Maul) it was a shame he didn’t get a bit more dialogue".

The Express got very confused over timey wimey nature of the story. "When it comes to trying to understand time travel and paradoxes on Doctor Who, just don’t. Put any efforts to one side, just go with it and take it at face value. If the 10-year-old sitting in front of you can do it, so can you. Once you manage to bypass the timey wimey chaos ensuing in front of your eyes, it’s quite a pleasurable way to spend a Saturday evening in front of the television."

The Metro found the events on the Drum underwhelming, but loved the realisation of the Ghosts. Without uttering even a word of dialogue, the ghosts are one of the scariest and most effective creations seen in modern Who.

Digital Spy thought the episode scary and smart and praised Paul Kay, who played the Tivolian Prentis, "Kaye is terrific as Prentis - it's just a shame his screen-time is so brief as to relegate the one-time Dennis Pennis to little more than a glorified cameo". Den of Geek saved its main praise for The Doctor himself, Peter Capaldi. "We're four episodes into his second series in the TARDIS, and it just feels like he utterly belongs there. His performance continues to mix grumpiness, friendliness, intelligence and a large dose of alien. Leading the detective work across this particular two parter, he's been on excellent, excellent form".

Radio Times was again not convinced by the episode. "I have to be frank and say that while I find Before the Flood marginally more intriguing than Under the Lake, as a brace of episodes they do little to float my boat, buzz my sonic or activate my time rotor". The reviewer points out his ten year old nephew loved the story. "Perhaps I need to reconnect with my inner ten-year-old to evaluate Doctor Who in 2015"

The Register enjoyed the introduction of the bootstrap paradox. "We've seen this device used a few times in the rebooted version of Doctor Who; such as 2005's Father's Day and Blink, which was first broadcast in 2007. And, of course, loopy paradoxes paradoxically loop their way through the TV drama's 52-year-long history", however TV.Com felt the detailed explanations of the difficulties of time travel were unnecessary and were spoon feeding the audience."I love that feeling of being slightly out of control as my mind tries to bend the story to fit what my brain thinks is logical. But I also really love it when I'm allowed to reach the conclusion on my own without being nudged toward it or, in this case, having it bronzed, mounted in a glass case, and then put under a giant spotlight".

Mashable loved the way the episode opened, with The Doctor talking directly into camera. "Not only did it break the fourth wall, not only did it spin a neat little self-contained tall tale that suggests the Doctor may actually be Beethoven, it also basically gave the plot of the episode away, which unless you're really paying attention, you only realize in retrospect"

For IGN the highlight came at the end of the story. "It thrilled me so. I’m referring to the last 30 seconds or so, where the Doctor breaks down the bootstrap paradox of it all for Clara. Her wow moment of realization as the Doctor says, “When did I first have those ideas, Clara?" followed by “Who composed Beethoven's 5th?" followed by his looking down at the camera, at us, and just ever so slightly shrugging. Man, it gave me goosebumps!"

You can read the Doctor Who News review in our reviews section.

FILTER: - Press - Series 9/35

Under the Lake - Press Reaction

Sunday, 4 October 2015 - Reported by Marcus

Under The Lake: Paul Kaye as Prentis and Colin McFarlane as Moran

This item Contains Plot Spoilers

Doctor Who - Under the Lake receives mostly praise in the press with many reviewers welcoming the move to a more traditional type of Doctor Who story.

The Independent enjoys the variety that Doctor Who offers, with this weeks episode being very different than last week's Dalek battle. Under the Lake neatly pulls off one of the tried-and-tested tricks of Who’s elastic format by gleefully mashing together genres and expectations. It has rarely been done with such palpable tension and slow-burning dread..

The Telegraph thought the episode enjoyably old-fashioned saying This rollicking, hair-raising romp demonstrated that the sci-fi franchise still has the power to thrill and chill in equal measure.

The Express found the story terrifying If you weren't given the willies by Under the Lake - even just a little bit, then you could well be the bravest member of the audience. Doctor Who really did put the frights on this week with a scary episode that left most shuddering.

The return to roots idea was also noticed by Stuff.co.nz. The story ends with a cliff hanger, a device used in every classic Doctor Who story but seldom in new Who, tying something old to something new. And it's a cliff hanger which is bound to have audiences tuning in to next week's episode, Before The Flood, in droves

Online Den of Geek described the episode as a cracking slice of old-style Doctor Who, praising the Director Daniel O'Hara. He had never directed an episode of Doctor Who before this one, but it can’t just be me hoping he gets many repeat calls. He makes full use of the claustrophobia afforded by the base setting, using time honoured tricks such as relaying scale on computer screens and shooting from different angles to make everything appear far bigger on the inside. It works.

O'Hara also won plaudits from Metro praising both him and the writer Toby Whithouse who produce a taut, claustrophobic atmosphere which ramps up the tension beautifully. The physical sets add to that, as does the CGI used to realise the ghosts.

Radio Times is not convinced saying With a tweak and a fiddle, it can remain fresh, and maybe Under the Lake does appear fresh to younger viewers, but this time, to me, it does not. It feels derivative, even by Doctor Who’s standards. They do however praise the casting of Sophie Stone, the first deaf woman to have studied at Rada.

Digital Spy found the story atmospheric but flawed. It's refreshing to have our heroes simply stumble upon a crisis and resolve to fix it. It's the set-up for a good old-fashioned Doctor Who adventure, and spared another of the Doctor's personal crises., while TV.com thought it was better than the season premiere and enjoyed the premise of the episode. As the Doctor said, death was the one thing that united every creature in the universe and the idea of it no longer being a boundary made him giddier than a school girl. More curious than afraid, he had several questions for the ghosts, like whether or not they missed being alive and what death was like.

TV Fanatic feels frustrated by the two part nature of this season. Yeah, I'm a Netflix guy and rather than build anticipation for the second part, waiting a week (with other shows in-between) simply frustrates me. Can't you already tell the juicy stuff is coming in the second half?

Meanwhile Mashable, while being unsure about some of the dialogue, enjoyed the cue cards. I loved the idea that Clara has trained the Time Lord to carry around index cards with little scripts for situations where his emotional cluelessness gets him into trouble. Longtime fans will be punching the air to see a card marked "I'm sorry, I thought you lived in Aberdeen.". Finally IGN welcomes the direction change after the four part Missy story. Under the Lake feels like a bit of a throttle down for Doctor Who with its fairly ordinary tale of just plain old, oh, you know… ghosts!.

You can read the Doctor Who News review in our reviews section.

FILTER: - Press - Series 9/35

The Witch's Familiar - Press Reaction

Sunday, 27 September 2015 - Reported by Marcus

The Witch's Familar: Michelle Gomez as Missy with the Daleks (Credit: BBC/Simon Ridgway)

Press reaction to the second episode of Series Nine is once more overwhelmingly positive.

The Independent felt much of the success of the episode was down to Julian Bleach's performance as Davros. "Steven Moffat’s dialogue was on top form this week, but it shone thanks to Bleach’s superb performance. It’s incredible how much physicality he brought to the role considering how limiting the costume is, utilising body language and facial expressions to maximum effect and pairing them with a powerful vocal performance"

The Guardian also liked the Davros/Doctor dynamic. "Peter Capaldi and Julian Bleach crackled with such warped chemistry", with Radio Times agreeing "Capaldi and Julian Bleach are superb in these moments. There’s a coup de théâtre when, for the first time, the wizened Davros opens his eyes. We’d always assumed he had none. No one but Steven Moffat would have thought to do this."

The Express said you can't help but love the villains."Missy is like a deliciously dangerous cocktail of dry wit laced with a sneaky shot of psychosis. She pulls you in with hers charms and makes you feel comfortable, then the moment you let your guard down or even consider trusting her, she'll have you strung upside down from a tree". The Registrar also loved Michelle Gomez. "Missy once again delivers some of the best lines, such as: "The friend inside the enemy, the enemy inside the friend. Everyone's a bit of both. Everyone's a hybrid.".

TV Fanatic loved the pairing of Clara and Missy "I lost it when Clara mentioned throwing a stone down into the sewers and Missy pushing her in saying. I'm sure we haven't seen the last of The Mistress, but I already can't wait for another team up like this one. " Mashable also loved the duo. "A fantastic comedy double act of psycho and straight person, fighting their way through Skaro towards the Doctor with nothing but a sharpened stick", a sentiment agreed with by 411Mainia. "I know not everyone is in love with Missy, but Michelle Gomez is a highlight of the first two episodes. She is able to have some more wicked fun, which is an important balance since the Doctor is busy being deadly serious"

The Metro loved the pace of the story. This was a thoughtful character piece in which the Doctor saves the day with an act of mercy rather than a simple wave of his sonic. I found that pleasingly old-school, while The Daily Mail loved the fact that Doctor Who can still come up with something fresh. "Seeing the Doctor’s assistant Clara Oswald strapped, trapped, inside a Dalek and only able to communicate like them was ingeniously vivid – palpably claustrophobic and perilous: the fairground ride from hell.".

Not all was positive with TV.com disliking the conclusion to the episode "this climax was dumb. Daleks turning on one another is fine enough, but the sludgey poo of not-quite-dead Daleks attacking their comrades was just... dumb.", while IGN thought the episode a bit of a letdown. "It just can’t satisfactorily resolve some of the bits and pieces showrunner Steven Moffat left dangling last week in the grand first episode."

Digital Spy however thought the episode bleak but rewarding. "Scenes between our effusive hero and a creepily still Davros are dark and uncompromising, they're also utterly scintillating."

You can read Doctor Who News's review of the episode on our reviews site.

FILTER: - Press - Series 9/35

Behind the Scenes at the Abbey Road Photshoot

Thursday, 24 September 2015 - Reported by Marcus

Last week the BBC released a photograph of Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman posing on the Abbey Road zebra crossing in London, recreating the famous cover photo from the Beatles album, with the help of a couple of Daleks.

The picture was taken on Saturday morning, and the BBC have now released a video showing how quickly it was achieved to avoid disrupting traffic in the area.

Abbey Road is a main thoroughfare running north from Lords Cricket Ground near Regents Park in Central London. Its famous crossing lies just outside the Abbey Road studios where The Beatles recorded much of their music. The crossing featured on the cover of their 1969 Abbey Road album, making the crossing a well visited tourist crossing, with many attempting a recreation of the picture. The attempts can be viewed live on the Abbey Road WebCam.

The law in the UK states that motorists must give way to pedestrians at zebra crossings, even if the pedestrians are two Daleks, a Time Lord and an Impossible Girl. So to avoid total gridlock the photo session needed to be completed in as short a time as possible.

This is how it was done.

Doctor Who on Abbey Road Photoshoot

FILTER: - Press

The Magician's Apprentice - Press Reaction

Sunday, 20 September 2015 - Reported by Marcus

Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman as the Doctor and Clara in The Magician's Apprentice (Credit: BBC/Simon Ridgway)

This story contains plot spoilers.

Press reaction to this years season première, The Magician's Apprentice has been overwhelmingly positive, with most of the reviewers enjoying the storyline and the performances in the episode.

Rare praise for the BBC came from the The Daily Mail whose reviewer thought "Doctor Who was ridiculously good - a sharp, fast, thrilling, piece of historic, futuristic, television: the BBC at its best". The Telegraph was less convinced by the show's storyline but more by its lead actor. "Rarely has a show been so dependent on the skills of a single actor - and Capaldi is a good one: able to bring just enough emotional depth to a comicbook caper to render it dramatic".

The Mirror thought the show belonged to Missy. "Michelle Gomez steals the episode as the demented Time Lady who kills for fun and prances around in the face of greater evil". While The Express thought the episode should have been Peter Capaldi's first episode. "The Davros genesis story is a stroke of genius by Steven Moffat. We've seen the maniacal Nazi-esque creator of the Daleks as a craggy old man, hellbent on destroying the Doctor, but rarely have we seen how the mad genius came to be. And that's exactly what fans got with this episode.".

The Guardian also enjoyed Julian Bleach's performance as Davros. "The bleak devastation he wreaks by the end of the episode is more powerful than any madcap plot to enslave the universe that has come before. And Julian Bleach, returning to the role, wrings every drop of menace.". The Evening Standard called the episode a "gripping start to the latest series. Ray-Bans on, an electric guitar swinging from your neck. To the ever-expanding list of abilities that the last(ish) of the Time Lords has, we can now definitively add one more: Doctor Who can shred."

Patrick Mulkern in Radio Times calls the boy Davros a brilliant idea and says the episode rattles along with barely a bum note, with the gradual reveal of Skaro being beautifully realised.

Over in the States Entertainment Weekly said "From the minute the Doctor’s sonic screwdriver flies through the air and lands at the feet of a child yet to be named, The Magician’s Apprentice feels like coming home"., while Forbes thinks the show is back to its rare form and called the opener "an edge-of-your-seat thriller for recent Who fans and absolute magic for old-school Whovians".

Over in Australia the Sydney Morning Herald praised Michelle Gomez, "A breathtaking performance as Missy, full of gasps, one-liners, moments that lurch from underplayed to overplayed in a breath"

Online Digital Spy thought the episode was mixed. "Not everything works, but with the ideas, twists and gags being packed in at such a rate of knots, there's enough that does - and some of it very well indeed.". CNET described the show as" one of the most idea-packed and high-stakes episodes I can remember", while IGN said it was a "cracking opener to the season with a combination of exciting action, creepy visuals, and tense situations". Games Radar called the episode "a supremely confident series première, and said the show was full of wit and menace, unafraid to take on the show’s museum piece classics."

The Register thought Season 9 a brought Doctor Who back on form with a bang, "from the eerie handmines, to the glorious return of Missy to some excellent clowning around from Capaldi, this episode had it all.", while TV.com said the "episode made me care about Doctor Who and its characters by playing on the show's strengths—especially the relationship between the Doctor and the Master, who's still stealing scenes thanks to a perfect performance from Michelle Gomez"

The episode can be viewed on iPlayer in the United Kingdom, on iView in Australia and on YouTube in the United States, where BBC America have released the whole episode.

You can read Doctor Who News's review of the episode on our reviews site.

FILTER: - Press - Series 9/35

SPACE: special message to Canadian fans

Thursday, 17 September 2015 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Canadian broadcaster SPACE celebrates the return of Doctor Who this weekend with a special message from Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman:

The premiere of The Magician's Apprentice will be preceded by a number of Doctor Who episodes, plus a special edition of their regular magazine InnerSpace.

TORONTO (September 16, 2015) – Space’s highest-rated series in the history of time returns with all-new episodes when Season 9 of DOCTOR WHO premieres this Saturday, Sept. 19 at 9 p.m. ET. Peter Capaldi returns as the Doctor alongside Jenna Coleman and guests including GAME OF THRONES’ Maisie Williams. Now that the Doctor and Clara have established a dynamic as a partnership of equals, they’re relishing the fun and thrills that all of space and time has to offer. Tangling with ghosts, Vikings, and the ultimate evil of the Daleks, they embark on their biggest adventures yet. Missy (Michelle Gomez, BAD EDUCATION) is back to plague the Doctor once more, the Zygons inspire fear as they shape-shift into human clones, and a new arrival moves in cosmic ways.

This season, the Doctor is ready to stand against any monster who threatens the universe including Missy, who revealed herself to be the Master in the Season 8 finale. To celebrate Missy’s return in the Season 9 premiere, “The Magician’s Apprentice,” Space has lined up a marathon of past DOCTOR WHO episodes featuring the Doctor’s childhood friend turned life-long enemy, the Master. The DOCTOR WHO MASTER MARATHON kicks off Saturday, Sept. 19 at 12 noon ET with Season 3 episode “Utopia,” featuring David Tennant in the role of the Doctor.

For an insider’s look into the iconic series, INNERSPACE PRESENTS DOCTOR WHO SEASON 9 premieres just before the season premiere on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 8:30 p.m. ET. Host Teddy Wilson helms the exclusive sit-down with stars Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman, taped this past summer at San Diego Comic-Con. In the 30-minute special, the two stars offer insight and hints as to what to expect from the upcoming season.

Viewers looking to time-travel back to the very beginning with the Doctor can find all past seasons of DOCTOR WHO on CraveTV^TM.

DOCTOR WHO Programming for Saturday, Sept: 19: DOCTOR WHO MASTER MARATHON

Peter Capaldi as the Doctor (Credit: BBC/David Venni)

12 p.m. – DOCTOR WHO Utopia – Season 3, Episode 11
Jack’s back! As Captain Jack (John Barrowman, ARROW) storms back into the Doctor’s (David Tennant, BROADCHURCH) life, the Tardis is thrown out of control, to the end of the universe. There, they find the savage Futurekind ruling the wilderness, while a lonely Professor tries in vain to save the last of the human race.
1 p.m. – DOCTOR WHO The Sound of Drums – Season 3, Episode 12
Harry Saxon (John Simm, INTRUDERS) becomes Prime Minister, and his reign of terror begins. This is only the start of his ambitions, however, as he announces humankind’s first contact with an alien race, the Toclafane. An audacious plan, spanning the whole of time and space, begins to close around the Earth.
2 p.m. – DOCTOR WHO The Last of the Time Lords – Season 3, Episode 13
Earth has been conquered and the Master (Simm) rules supreme, with the Doctor a helpless prisoner. The entire human race has been reduced to slavery, as the mighty warships of a new Time Lord Empire rise from the ashes. Only Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman, THE CARRIE DIARIES) can save the world...
3:10 p.m. – DOCTOR WHO The End of Time (Part 1)
Christmas Eve, and the Doctor (David Tennant) is reunited with Wilf (Bernard Cribbins, OLD JACK'S BOAT), to face the return of an old enemy. Something terrible stalks the wastelands of London, while far away, the Immortality Gate reaches completion. But the warnings of the Ood signify an even greater danger, as the Doctor (Tennant) faces his darkest hour yet.
4:35 p.m. – DOCTOR WHO The End of Time (Part 2)
The Doctor (David Tennant) has faced Daleks, Cybermen, Angels and Devils, but now stands defeated at the end of his life, as the Master’s (John Simm, THE VILLAGE) victory unleashes the greatest terror of all. With an ancient plan closing around the Earth, only the Doctor can stop the cataclysm – but is the price too great to pay?
6:15 p.m. – DOCTOR WHO Dark Water – Season 8, Episode 11
In the mysterious world of the Nethersphere, plans have been drawn. Missy (Michelle Gomez, BAD EDUCATION) is about to come face to face with the Doctor (Peter Capaldi), and an impossible choice is looming... “Death is not an end” promises the sinister organization known only as 3W – but, as the Doctor and Clara (Jenna Coleman) discover, you might wish it was.
7:15 p.m. – DOCTOR WHO Death in Heaven – Season 8, Episode 12
With Cybermen on the streets of London, old friends unite against old enemies, and the Doctor (Peter Capaldi) takes to the air in a startling new role. Can the mighty UNIT contain Missy (Michelle Gomez, BAD EDUCATION)? As the Doctor faces his greatest challenge, sacrifices must be made before the day is won.
8:30 p.m - INNERSPACE: DOCTOR WHO SEASON 9 *Special Premiere*
INNERSPACE’s Teddy Wilson chats with Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman as the two DOCTOR WHO stars get more candid with Teddy than they ever have before, gaining insight into the new season, and hearing firsthand what working on the show means to them both.
9 p.m - DOCTOR WHO The Magician’s Apprentice *Season 9 Premiere*
“Where is the Doctor?” When the skies of Earth are frozen by a mysterious alien force, Clara needs her friend. But where is the Doctor, and what is he hiding from? As past deeds come back to haunt him, old enemies will come face-to-face, and for the Doctor and Clara survival seems impossible.

FILTER: - Canada - Press - Series 9/35

BBC keeping quiet on Jenna Coleman's future

Wednesday, 16 September 2015 - Reported by Harry Ward

Jenna Coleman as Clara (Credit: BBC / David Venni)

Jenna Coleman's involvement with Doctor Who beyond 2015 is in doubt again after the Mirror reported the actress has "quit" the show to play a young Queen Victoria in a new ITV drama. The article states: "She is thought to have already filmed her final scenes, and will bow out before the Christmas special."

This year's Christmas special will feature Alex Kingston back as River Song but there has not been an announcement of Jenna's involvement. She is also missing from November's Doctor Who Festival guest lineup.

The news that Jenna Coleman has "quit" has been published in other British papers including The independent, The Telegraph and The Guardian. The BBC has reported the story on their news website but the Doctor Who production team have declined to comment.

The Mirror previously reported that Jenna Coleman had quit and would leave at the end of Last Christmas. Steven Moffat wrote in Doctor Who Magazine 484 that Death in Heaven was to be her last episode but she had changed her mind:

That was her last episode. And then she asked me if she could be in Christmas? So I said, 'Okay, I'll write you out in Christmas.' She came to the read through and did the 'write out' version - and again changed her mind.

But the truth is I never wanted her to go. I didn't really want Death in Heaven to be her last episode. And with Last Christmas, I'd already written the alternative version where she stayed, and I preferred that version. For Christmas Day it's a bit nicer. Frankly, I didn't want to lose her. She's an amazing actress, and she never stops working to make Clara better. I was very happy to go the extra mile to make sure we could keep her.

FILTER: - Doctor Who - Jenna Coleman - Press

Last Christmas - Interviews

Wednesday, 10 December 2014 - Reported by Marcus

The BBC has released a set of interviews with showrunner Steven Moffat and the stars of the 2014 Christmas special Last Christmas.

The Doctor and Clara face their last Christmas.

Trapped on an arctic base, under attack from terrifying creatures, who are you going to call?

Santa Claus!

Steven Moffat - Q&A

What can you tell us about the plot of this year’s Christmas special?
Well obviously as everyone knows from the end of Death In Heaven, it’s the ultimate meeting of Christmas heroes - Santa Claus meets Doctor Who. The buddy movie you’ve always wanted. In addition to that, it’s quite surprising - it won’t be what some people expect because it’s a thriller of an episode. The Christmas element is covered in the fairly notable form of Santa Claus and the elves and their sleigh. But the rest of it is very much Doctor Who – scary, in a polar ice cap base, scientists under threat. I keep describing it as Miracle On 34th Street meets Alien.

Viewers will be thrilled to see the Doctor and Clara brought together again - what can we expect from this and what can you say about what brings them together?
They’re brought together by a crisis that returns the Doctor to Earth to help Clara. The stuff that separated them, the lies they told each other – all of that will be addressed in this episode. We don’t just ignore it for the sake of Christmas. It is properly addressed and forms the emotional core of the episode.

Nick Frost seems an inspired choice for Santa Claus – how did that casting come about?
As ever with Doctor Who we’re very lucky to have Andy Pryor casting for us and he suggested Nick Frost. The moment you think of Nick Frost as Santa Claus you just know he’s exactly right – he has the right style, has the right attitude and more than that he seems like a slightly 'funky' Santa Claus – the sort of Santa Claus that OUGHT to turn up in Doctor Who. Simultaneously he subverts the role of Santa Claus and affirms it very definitively. He’s a truly great Santa. It’s hard to think of anyone else for the role once you’ve seen him.

Will we see the traditional Santa we know and love, or should we expect a different side to him?
Santa Claus will be real, and definitely not evil. Parents shouldn't worry, Santa is presented, as he is in real life, as a great Christmas hero.

How do the Doctor and Clara become involved with Santa Claus?
As was shown in the Children In Need clip, Clara encounters Santa Claus on a rooftop with a crashed sleigh and a couple of grumpy elves. Then the Doctor turns up too.

Did you also have Dan (Starkey) in mind as one of the elves?
Obviously we know Dan really well because he plays Strax, and we’ve been thinking that he should play a part without all the prosthetics on. We needed elves with attitude and real comic timing and Dan is a brilliantly funny actor. So if Dan will forgive me, it’s fair to say he’s the right height, genuinely funny and we just thought he’d be perfect for that role.

How does writing and filming the Christmas special differ from the series?
The Christmas special is an oddity because it’s on its own. As a matter of production, we don’t have episodes either side of it. We just have a few weeks where we shoot that one episode so certain pressures are removed from us – we’re not prepping another show. You should also be slightly aware that there will be more people than usual who don’t usually watch it by virtue of the fact it’s on at Christmas time. It’s become a bit of a Christmas tradition to watch Doctor Who so there will be a number of people who maybe haven’t seen it since the last Christmas special.

What is it about Peter’s Doctor that you think fans are enjoying the most?
What Peter triumphs in is that he is bracing. We’ve been used to a particular kind of Doctor across three very different actors – Chris (Eccleston), David (Tennant) and Matt (Smith). The Doctor has been younger, blokier, slightly more modern, you might say more approachable. We’ve now thrown that into reverse. There are moments with the other three actors where you can see a spiky, scary older man inside him and now we’re seeing more of that man. Peter is bracing – he’s a reminder that the Doctor isn’t your best mate or your big brother; he is in fact a quite scary man from outer space who nonetheless will save your life. He makes you look for the heroism more which I think is exciting - it throws you off balance. It’s almost like going from Pierce Brosnan to Daniel Craig as James Bond. Making the Doctor older has inadvertently made the show feel new again. He’s different and different is good.

The show is now a global phenomenon. How was it this year to see the reactions of fans in different countries?
We’re quite used to seeing Doctor Who launched in the UK and it’s always fun, but essentially people here are used to it. Seeing the extraordinary reactions when we arrived at various airports on the world tour when people were chanting our names and shouting like we mattered was very exciting. We had no idea that it would happen and that people who lived in other parts of the world were so invested in it. The increasing world significance of the show is something that we don’t really see most of the time. We just go to Wales and make our show, we’re not thinking about the people in Rio or America who seem to be hanging on our every word. It’s been great to see how it plays out on the world stage.

Peter Capaldi - Q&A

Everyone will be pleased to see the Doctor and Clara brought together again for this Christmas special. What does bring them together?
A terrifying festive dilemma forces the Doctor back to Earth to help Clara. Then a story unfolds which is quite unexpected – I can’t really say more than that.

How does filming the Christmas special differ from the series?
It’s all very festive and even though you’re shooting in October it does lull you into the festive spirit, because there are lots of Christmassy things around. There are snow machines all the time which is lovely but they’re noisy like lawnmowers or concrete mixers. We have Christmas lights, polystyrene icebergs - which is classic piece of set dressing on Doctor Who. There’s a roast dinner going on in Clara’s house and a big Christmas tree. There were also lots of tangerines!

What was your reaction to Nick Frost being cast as Santa? What sort of Santa does he play?
I was delighted when Nick was cast, I’m a big fan of his. I love Hot Fuzz and Shaun Of The Dead. He’s actually quite a traditional Santa but with a comic undertone. He is the real Santa – he’s not a robot or an alien, but he is a little bit cantankerous. He’s a little bit like the Doctor and at first they don’t really get on together.

How do the Doctor and Clara become involved with Santa?
Santa appears on the roof of Clara’s house and only the Doctor knows the danger of it.

What can viewers expect from this episode?
It’s both really scary and really festive. It manages to be quite frightening and still have Santa Claus in it. It is extremely Christmassy but there is a plot line in it that is quite dark and I think Steven (Moffat) has done a brilliant job at balancing those two things. It’s perfect for Christmas viewing – it supplies everything that Doctor Who should supply at Christmas. It’s scary but it leaves you feeling warm and cheerful.

What have been your fondest memories of your first year as the Doctor?
It’s difficult to say what specific moments were significant to me because the whole thing has just been amazing. So many things have been fantastic. The first time you go onto the set, the first time you meet a Dalek or even the first time the TARDIS wobbles when you shut the door. I know it won’t last forever so I’m just enjoying it all.

The show is now a global phenomenon – how was it to see the reactions of fans in different countries earlier this year? What is it about your Doctor that you think they’re enjoying?
It was extraordinary to see how popular the show is all over the world. I’ve had the great benefit of riding the wave of success that Matt (Smith), David (Tennant) and Chris (Eccleston) had started. I myself was fascinated by what made the show so popular abroad. To me it seems a particularly British thing. However, it seems that the themes of escapism and adventure are universal. Fans of Doctor Who are usually so warm-hearted and creative. It’s quite moving to see how much they love it. You don’t realise when you’re making the programme that it’s reaching out to so many people in Latin America or Asia or Australia. Obviously the character is so popular now and the concept is so clever, so I think that is what they’re responding to rather than me.

What will you be doing this Christmas and is there anything you want from Santa?
I’ll be watching the Christmas Special and I want a tangerine and a Doctor Who annual because that’s what I had as a kid.

Jenna Coleman - Q&A

What’s it like for Clara to be reunited with the Doctor in the Christmas Special?
She’s just really glad to be back with him. She’s dealing with the death of Danny Pink but happy to be back in the arms of the TARDIS again, and meeting Santa. A lot of the episode is about telling that adventure, and it’s about the Doctor and Clara resolving what they’ve just been through.

What was it like coming back to film the Christmas Special?
It was good because we’d had the build up to filming the finale, and then Peter and I went off on the World Tour, so we were obviously tired but we were rejuvenated having had a break. We had such a big reaction from around the world and then you get back to filming and back to what feels like your home really. It’s always like that when you’re filming the Christmas Special, and you’re surrounded by tinsel and mince pies and all of that on set every day. Even though it’s October you get a bit of Christmas spirit.

It’s a very Christmassy theme this year. What did you think when you heard there was going to be a real Santa Claus, and played by Nick Frost no less?
Genius. And it’s like Steven (Moffat) said in the read-through - his name is actually ‘Frost’ so it couldn’t be more perfect. Nick really pitches Santa Claus so well between being the Santa as we know him and being very traditional, and then also cutting the act and giving quite a contemporary feel. So it works really well within the context of the episode and he has got the right tone. He’s really nice to have around on set, very funny in between takes and on camera.

You must have had a lot of fun filming the Christmas episode with Nick?
I keep using the word funny to describe Nick but what I mean is he can take anything and make it hilarious. You can give him any line and he’ll just do something with it and I don’t even know how he does it. I’ve never seen Peter (Capaldi) corpse as much as when we were working with Nick. Even in make-up every morning before you get ready to go on set he would have you cracking up.

What does Clara make of Santa Claus?
When she meets him she can’t quite believe he’s there, because bumping into Santa Claus on your roof is quite a weird way to wake up. Deep down she has always wanted to see him, and so when he materialises it’s really a nice thing.

And working with the fabulous elves played by Dan Starkey and Nathan McMullen?
It was like they’d been working together for years. I thought they must have been rehearsing in their trailers because the timing and the double act between the two of them is like they’ve grown up together almost. But they’d only just met!

What can viewers expect from the Christmas special
It makes you question reality. You can’t quite figure it out. It makes you question what is real and what isn’t, but with a thriller and psychological element. It’s very Doctor Who - it’s got all of the traditional elements as well, and the one sequence we have with the sleigh is so magical. It’s what you want to sit down and watch at Christmas.

How do you like to spend Christmas?
With my family eating lots of food, surrounded by grandparents and nieces and lots of good TV, and going for nice big country walks. I really embrace Christmas. I love it.

Nick Frost - Q&A

How much of a Doctor Who fan are you?
On a scale of one to ten I’m probably a seven, if I’m being honest. I suppose most actors would just say ten. I was a big Tom Baker fan and I liked Sylvester McCoy, and Peter Davison. Then I missed out on that Saturday evening TV for a long time. I lived abroad and I travelled and I worked most Saturdays, so it just drifted out of my consciousness. Matt Smith reignited my love of the show and my love for that special feeling you get on Saturday when you can put your feet up and watch. There’s so little original sci-fi on British television, and to get something like Doctor Who that’s prime time Saturday night is something really special I think, as a science fiction fan. When Matt left and Peter came in I thought ‘he’s perfect’. It’s like James Bond. If you love Connery more than Roger Moore or Pierce Brosnan more than Timothy Dalton – they’re still James Bond. They just bring different things to it. I love what Peter’s doing with it – I think it’s great.

How did the part come about?
It was just offered to me which was fantastic. I was in the pub on a Friday afternoon. It was about 5 o’clock and I had about two percent battery left on my phone. My agent phoned me and all I heard was ‘they’re going to offer you a part as the guest lead in the Christmas special on Doctor…’ I thought Doctor what? Doctor Kildare?! So then I had to wait until I got home to get the message and I was thrilled. It’s a big deal to be a guest lead in Doctor Who for the Christmas special. It’s the most popular show in the world right now essentially, and with this one feature in this one episode, more people will probably see that than all things I’ve done combined.

Was it fun playing Santa and being part of the production?
I’ve loved it. I felt quite bereft that I wouldn’t get to put on my beard once we’d wrapped. I think the real secret of Doctor Who is the fact that people presume and assume that they have essentially a bottomless budget – but they don’t. It’s just that the people who work on the show make it seem like they have because of their inventiveness and ingenuity. It’s great to watch, and everyone made me feel welcome. It’s a place where you can do some good work because you trust everyone and like everyone.

How would you describe your Santa?
There’s a percentage of ‘Ho Ho Ho’ as every good Santa needs, but that’s all people ever see of Santa. They never see him day to day or when he’s a bit grumpy, or when he’s in a playful mood or if he’s a bit cross. I’ve tried to get all those sides to him. Hopefully he’s funny. I wanted him to be funny and I wanted him to be like what he is essentially – and that’s the spirit of Christmas.

How does he get on with his two elves (played by Dan Starkey and Nathan McMullen)?
It’s fairly fractious. They take any chance they can to undermine him in front of people, and it makes Santa very cross but at the same time he’s very protective. I’m not sure if they’re his sons or not? What’s the relationship between the elves and Santa Claus? Are they just friends or are they just employees? Is there some kind of blood line? I’m not sure…

What would you say viewers can look forward to from this Christmas special?
There’s going to be a nice combination of comedy and terror, and cool creatures – and Christmas fun. There’s a sleigh ride and snow. It’s going to be beautiful!

FILTER: - Jenna Coleman - Peter Capaldi - Press - Series Specials

Canada Ratings

Wednesday, 5 November 2014 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Bellmedia PR have released a statement over how the new series of Doctor Who has been received in Canada.
SPACE Logo (Credit: SPACE)

Season 8 of DOCTOR WHO is the Most-Watched Series in Space History and Saturday Night’s Most-Watched Series

Just days shy of the Season 8 finale of DOCTOR WHO, Space confirms its #1 series of all time has hit epic proportions this season. Now averaging 773,000 viewers for Peter Capaldi’s debut season as the Twelfth Time Lord, Season 8 of DOCTOR WHO is the most-watched season of the program to date, up nearly 25% compared to Season 7 and ranking as the #1 TV series on Canadian specialty television. In fact, DOCTOR WHO is the most-watched television program on Saturday nights in Canada during its 9 p.m. ET timeslot among total viewers and all key demos.

FILTER: - Canada - Press - Ratings

Previous 10 Stories

The Girl Who Died - Press Reaction

Before the Flood - Press Reaction

Under the Lake - Press Reaction

The Witch's Familiar - Press Reaction

Behind the Scenes at the Abbey Road Photshoot

The Magician's Apprentice - Press Reaction

SPACE: special message to Canadian fans

DOCTOR WHO Programming for Saturday, Sept: 19: DOCTOR WHO MASTER MARATHON

BBC keeping quiet on Jenna Coleman's future

Last Christmas - Interviews

Canada Ratings

This Week in Doctor Who

ARCHIVE

FILTER