.As previously reported, Splendid Chaps is a year-long performance/podcast project to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who hosted by comedian Ben McKenzie (Dungeon Crawl, Melbourne Museum Comedy Tour) and writer John Richards (ABC1 sitcom Outland, Boxcutters podcast).

Described by its creators as part intellectual panel discussion, part nerdy Tonight Show, Splendid Chaps is a combination of analysis, enthusiasm and irreverence. The first episode went to number 1 on the iTunes TV & Film Podcast chart in Australia, and to number 4 in the UK. The podcasts to previous episodes are now available at www.splendidchaps.com or at iTunes.

Tickets are now available for their three live November shows: "What I Learned From Doctor Who", "The Other Splendid Chaps: The Companions" and "Eleven/Future". 

In the first of these three shows, the Splendid Chaps are doing a special bonus episode talking about what they’ve learned from Doctor Who!

Born in part as an educational program, with Sydney Newman wanting no “bug-eyed monsters”, Doctor Who has often sought to educate us about our world – and the Universe beyond it. But over the years, as the traditional educational content about history and science faded away, it still brought us concepts and ideas – Buddhism, mythology, ethics, politics, friendship…there’s so much to learn from the Doctor!

Ben, John and Petra Elliott will be joined by comedian, actor and teacher Rob Lloyd (Who, Me.), and writer and editor Liz Barr (Chicks Unravel Time and its impending sequel) for a discussion of what Doctor Who has taught them. Plus prizes, surprises, all the usual Splendid Stuff, and a live poetry performance from the one and only Emile Zoey Baker!

Space: Toorak/South Yarra Library, 340 Toorak Road, South Yarra
Time: Saturday, November 16 2013, 4:00 PM
Accessibility: This venue is wheelchair accessible.
Tickets: All tickets $10 (plus booking fee where applicable)
Bookings: via trybooking.com, or buy tickets at the door (subject to availability)
Podcast: TBA.

In their second show for November, the Splendid Chaps are back with another bonus episode, this time at the Melbourne City Library as part of its Doctor Who Festival, talking about those other splendid chaps – the companions!

Companion, assistant, sidekick…none of these names really do the role of TARDIS occupant and time-space adventurer justice. In fifty years the Doctor has had almost as many fellow travellers aboard the TARDIS – most human, but also a few robots, aliens and fellow Time Lords. Exactly who counts varies depends on who you ask, but they’ve always been understood to be our point-of-view character; a proxy for the audience who will ask the Doctor to explain what on (or off) Earth is going on. Who are these people? What do they teach us about ourselves, the Doctor, and our changing society? Are they really there to get in trouble, pass the Zeus plugs and make the Doctor a better person, or is there more to them than meets the eye? And how different is the new series’ attitude to its supporting characters?

Ben, John and Petra will be joined by writer, director and podcaster Lucas Testro (Neighbours, Winners and Losers, NonCanonical), and broadcaster, documentary maker and podcaster Marian Blythe (3RRR, Boxcutters 2.0) to talk about the rest of the TARDIS crew. Plus prizes, surprises, loveliness and a live musical performance of a lost Doctor Who classic tune from Emma Heeney!

Space: Melbourne City Library, 253 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Time: Tuesday, November 19 2013, 6:30 PM
Accessibility: This venue is wheelchair accessible.
Tickets: Free! (bookings essential; limited seats available)
Bookings: via webwiredsolutions.com.au or at the door (if seats available)
Podcast: TBA.

Finally, their eleventh and final(ish) major episode brings then to the (still) current Doctor, Matt Smith. Splitting fan opinion on his announcement, in part because of his youth and obscurity, he soon won over audiences with a performance influenced by Patrick Troughton. This was also the biggest time of change in the revived show’s history, with not only a new Doctor, but a new production team, headed by fan favourite writer Steven Moffat, bringing a definite new feel to the show.

As Splendid Chaps draws to a close, the Chaps want to look forward as well as back, and so take as their theme the future. The Doctor in the old series and the new has often looked forward in time, whether a few decades, a few centuries, or even millions or billions of years. How has the show depicted the future? Has it tried to be predictive, or to express our hopes and fears? And what of the future of the show itself? With Matt Smith leaving, what does the future have in store for Doctor Who?

Hosts Ben, John and Petra are joined by comedians Justin Hamilton and Stella Young, plus a new song from Keating! composer Casey Bennetto, backed by their house band The Time Lads. Plus there will of course be prizes, surprises, jokes and more; it’s the end, but the moment has been prepared for! (They have a little something extra up their sleeves…)

Space: ACMI, Federation Square, Melbourne
Time: Thursday, November 21 2013; recording starts 7 PM
Accessibility: This venue is wheelchair accessible.
Tickets: $15 full, $12 concession, $11 ACMI members (plus booking fee where applicable)
Bookings: via ACMI online, or at the ACMI box office (subject to availability)
Podcast: not yet available; released 23 November 2013.

Myth Makers Presents: Golden Years celebrates the timeless elements of Doctor Who that have appealed to the show's followers for half a century.

Monsters, time travel and exotic alien worlds. Horror, drama and humour. Golden Years celebrates the many eras of the series, featuring the Doctor in his many aspects: whether magician, scientist, wanderer, battle-scarred survivor or Machiavellian chess-player.

Featuring 11 Doctors across 12 stories, penned by BBC Books, Short Trips, Obverse Books and Myth Makers alumni: Violet Addison & David N. Smith, Pete Kempshall, Samuel Marks, Daniel Tessier, Kelly Hale, Blair Bidmead, Matthew James, Chris Kocher, Andrew K. Purvis, Stephen Hatcher and Cody Quijano-Schell.

The anthology is 92 pages, with artwork by Carolyn Edwards, Andy Walker and Iain Robertson.

It includes 50-Word Memories from Robert J. Sawyer, Piers Anthony, Stephen James Walker, Stuart Douglas, Graeme Burk, Arnold T. Blumberg and is edited by Matt Grady and Andrew Kearley. Layout by Arnold T. Blumberg.

Ordering information available at clarksbury.com

Golden Years is a non-commercial publication. All proceeds will be donated to St John Ambulance Canada.

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The New York Sci-Fi/Fantasy Meetup group is currently in talks with the authorities at the Empire State Building to light up the building TARDIS blue on 23 November.

The building lights up a different colour every night to celebrate different events. Paperwork has been filed and the group have an online petition to help demonstrate interest.

.As previously reported, Splendid Chaps is a year-long performance/podcast project to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who hosted by comedian Ben McKenzie (Dungeon Crawl, Melbourne Museum Comedy Tour) and writer John Richards (ABC1 sitcom Outland, Boxcutters podcast).

Described by its creators as part intellectual panel discussion, part nerdy Tonight Show, Splendid Chaps is a combination of analysis, enthusiasm and irreverence. The first episode went to number 1 on the iTunes TV & Film Podcast chart in Australia, and to number 4 in the UK. The podcasts to previous episodes are now available at www.splendidchaps.com or at iTunes.

Tickets are now on sale for their Tenth Doctor show! Their tenth major episode brings the Splendid Chaps to many people’s first (and favourite) Doctor, David Tennant. Phenomenally popular, and quickly establishing his own fanbase independent of the show, Tennant stayed in the role over five years, all the way to the end of Russell T Davies time as showrunner, cementing the programme's success and becoming "the" Doctor for a whole generation of viewers.

Seemingly a big part of Tennant’s success was his sex appeal – something foreign to many fans of the classic series. The Doctor of the Old Time (and most of his friends) seemed uninterested in sex, save for the occasional bit of flirting, but in the new series he clearly romances Rose, spurns Martha, fends off Amy and perves on Clara; he’s snogged every female companion, and “danced” with or married a slew of historical figures. Then there’s future pansexual Captain Jack; Amy and Rory, who spend their honeymoon in costume and their wedding night in the TARDIS; and the love affair that lasts lifetimes between the Doctor and Professor River Song. Is this weird? Is it awesome? What does modern Doctor Who say about sex, relationships and sexuality, and did the classic series have anything to say about them?

Hosts Ben McKenzie, John Richards and Petra Elliott are joined by writer, broadcaster and critic Richard Watts (artsHub, RRR’s SmartArts) and erotica writer and burlesque performer Aimee Nichols. Plus music from Melbourne geek rock band Blue Turtle Shell, giveaways from their lovely sponsors, and all the usual tomfoolery! (But no hanky panky.)

Space: The Gasometer Hotel, 484 Smith Street, Collingwood (corner of Alexandra Parade)
Time: Sunday 13 October; recording starts 5 PM
Accessibility: Splendid Chaps regret that this venue is not wheelchair accessible.
Tickets: $15 (plus booking fee where applicable)
Bookings: via trybooking.com or at the door (subject to availability)
Podcast: not yet available; released 23 October 2013.

A new Fanzine called Cygnus Alpha is now available.

Cygnus Alpha is a continuation of an old 1980s Fanzine which originally featured Paul Cornell and Gary Russell. It's been brought up to date by Simon Brett ( phonic Screwdriver radio host, Phonicon organiser, Star Burst podcaster and Star Burst illustrator), Lee Rawlings ( Phonic Screwdiver radio host, Phonicon organiser and Star Burst podcaster), and Paul Griffin ( 80s & 90s fanzine illustrator, DWM illustrator and BBC Doctor Who book cover artist for The Devil Goblins From Neptune).

It features the likes of JR Southall ( You & Who books ), the original writers George Sik, Rolo Paloma, Paul West (the original editor), John Davies ( Big Finish Short Trips) , Simon Breeze ( fantasy artist), Lee Rawlings, Simon Brett and Paul Griffin.

It's A5 and features colour artwork. This issues has articles on Peter Cushing, Gerry Anderson & Captain Scarlet, a colour comic strip, short story by JR Southall and an exclusive interview with the director of Doctor Who's Kings Demons Tony Virgo.

It is now available priced at £2.50 plus p&p.

Details from the Fanzine's Facebook page.

.As previously reported, Splendid Chaps is a year-long performance/podcast project to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who hosted by comedian Ben McKenzie (Dungeon Crawl, Melbourne Museum Comedy Tour) and writer John Richards (ABC1 sitcom Outland, Boxcutters podcast).

Described by its creators as part intellectual panel discussion, part nerdy Tonight Show, Splendid Chaps is a combination of analysis, enthusiasm and irreverence. The first episode went to number 1 on the iTunes TV & Film Podcast chart in Australia, and to number 4 in the UK. The podcasts to previous episodes are now available at www.splendidchaps.com or at iTunes.

Tickets are now on sale for their Ninth Doctor show! Their ninth major episode brings the Splendid Chaps finally to new Who, that time when the seemingly impossible happened and the show returned! Russell T Davies reinvented the Doctor by casting renowned TV and film actor Christopher Eccleston, famous for serious roles in dramas like Cracker, Our Friends in the North and Elizabeth. His simultaneously light-hearted and tortured portrayal of a man who has lost everything won over old and new fans alike, though the revelation after the smash success of the first episode that he would only be staying for one year took fans and media by surprise. Despite his short stay in the role, Eccleston defined the new era of Doctor Who and laid the groundwork for the format that persisted ever since.

Just as important to new Who was new companion Rose Tyler, played by pop star turned actor Billie Piper. For some she was a revelation compared to the “scream queens” of the past; but is this a fair assessment? Splendid Chaps take as their theme women in Doctor Who: was having a proactive and near equal status companion for the Doctor really such a radical idea? Has Doctor Who been as terribly sexist as has often been claimed? Are the women in the show as varied and multifaceted as the men? And is the modern series really better in its portrayal of women than the old?

Hosts Ben McKenzie, John Richards and Petra Elliott are joined by a panel including feminist organiser and writer Karen Pickering (Cherchez la Femme), author and podcaster Tansy Rayner Roberts (Galactic Suburbia, Verity!) and more, plus a musical performance, giveaways and excellence!

Space: The Gasometer Hotel, 484 Smith Street, Collingwood (corner of Alexandra Parade)
Time: Sunday 15 September; recording starts 5 PM
Accessibility: Splendid Chaps regret that this venue is not wheelchair accessible.
Tickets: $15 (plus booking fee where applicable)
Bookings: via trybooking.com or at the door (subject to availability)
Podcast: not yet available; released 23 September 2013.

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.

.As previously reported, Splendid Chaps is a year-long performance/podcast project to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who hosted by comedian Ben McKenzie (Dungeon Crawl, Melbourne Museum Comedy Tour) and writer John Richards (ABC1 sitcom Outland, Boxcutters podcast)

Described by its creators as part intellectual panel discussion, part nerdy Tonight Show, Splendid Chaps is a combination of analysis, enthusiasm and irreverence. The first episode went to number 1 on the iTunes TV & Film Podcast chart in Australia, and to number 4 in the UK. The podcasts to previous episodes are now available at www.splendidchaps.com or at iTunes.

Tickets are now on sale for their Eighth Doctor show! Their eighth major episode brings them to the Doctor of the show’s “middle period” between classic and new Who - Paul McGann’s Eighth Doctor. A cult figure thanks to his starring role in Withnail and I (alongside alternate Ninth Doctor Richard E Grant), McGann was a popular choice and garnered much kudos for his performance – but almost nothing else about the American co-produced telemovie seemed to please audiences on either of the Atlantic, and no new series was produced. It’s a weird moment in the so-called “wilderness years” between old and new Who.

It is also National Science Week, so Splendid Chaps are also looking at science in Doctor Who. Ostensibly science fiction, and starting out life with an educational remit, Doctor Who originally alternated between trips to historical events and sci-fi tales that were meant to teach us about science. But amongst the mad scientists, wobbly grasp of concepts like “black hole”, “neutron” and “constellation”, and the rather more fantastical bent of the post-2005 show, does Doctor Who actually depict real science in any meaningful way? Does it champion the idea of being “sciencey”? What does it get wrong, what does it get right, and what can we learn from it about science in either case?

Hosts Ben McKenzie, John Richards and Petra Elliott will be joined by a panel of actual scientists including biologist and geneticist Jack Scanlan. Plus a musical performance, and all the usual prizes and surprises!

Space: upstairs, Bar Open, 317 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
Time: Sunday, August 11; recording starts 5 PM
Accessibility: Splendid Chaps regret that this venue is not wheelchair accessible
Tickets: $15 (plus booking fee where applicable)
Bookings: via trybooking.com or at the door (subject to availability)
Podcast: not yet available; released 23 August 2013.

DWAS 50th Anniversary Poll:

The Doctor Who Appreciation Society's 50th Anniversary Poll is now underway. Voting is open to all, with a closing date of 7th August. Full details may be found at the DWAS website.

(with thanks to Tony Jordan)

Fourth Dimension - a Doctor Who charity book:

FOURTH DIMENSION, by British Who fan Steven Miscandlon, collects twelve of his short stories and thirty-one 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.

Perfectly tying in with the show’s 50th anniversary, the book will appeal to fans of the classic series, but Steven believes it also provides an interesting snapshot of what Who fans got up to in the lengthy hiatus between the cancellation of the original series in 1989, and the broadcast of the Paul McGann TV Movie in 1996.

He said:
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.

(with thanks to Steven Miscandlon)

More of the Best Poems in the Universe:

Are you suffering from end of series blues?
Are you twiddling your thumbs waiting for the 50th anniversary?
Are you more poetic than Clara’s leaf?

Then put your writing skills to good use. Volume 2 needs your contributions right now because everything has gone a bit wibbly wobbly, timey rhymey! They can be about any Who related subject, your own work and must be previously unpublished.

We would also welcome any artwork from budding Doctor Who artists out there. Please supply as a 300dpi jpeg. Pictures should be portrait in orientation. Send your entries to whoems@GJBpublishing.co.uk. Deadline for all entries is 31st July 2013.

Those successful will be notified by email and will have the chance to pre-order the book before it goes on general release later this year. The editor’s decision is final. Geronimo!

(with thanks to Garry Vaux)

The Doctor & I - a celebration of a fandom 50 years in the making:

We've all got a "The Doctor & I" story. It's time to tell yours.

23rd November 2013 will mark 50 years of Doctor Who as well as 50 years of its accompanying fandom that continues to be a big part of all of our lives. Although all of our journeys with the Doctor start at different times, his ongoing adventures continue to bring millions of fans around the world together as we discuss, debate and share in his epic voyage through through time and space.

As part of WhovianNet's 50th anniversary celebrations, we want to how and when your story began.

We're inviting you to submit your own essays (but they're not really essays - essays are NOT cool!) which detail your personal introduction to the Doctor Who fandom. How did it all begin for you? What initially got you so hooked? How has your life been affected since? We are particularly looking for stories that are special, moving and, most importantly, unique to you.

In a nutshell, we want to know what being a Doctor Who fan means to YOU - whether you've been following the Doctor since Day 1 or accidentally stumbled upon his recent adventures at 4 in the morning on Netflix, we want to hear from you, in essay/report/diary/story style.

And here comes the really cool bit - the stories will be collated into a special commemorative book which will go on sale later this year. The book will serve as a celebration of the fandom that's been 50 years in the making with - we hope - stories from fans worldwide young and old, as we come together to mark the Doctor's 50th birthday. We also hope to include contributions from those who have worked on the series who will reflect on their own experiences with the Doctor, both on and off screen.

Full details about the project can be found on our website.

(with thanks to Dan @ Whovian Net)

DDWRPG Fanzine Issue #020:

This issue of the Diary of Doctor Who Role Playing Games (DDWRPG) features the amazing discovery of lost Doctor Who RPG materials, such as the original proposals for FASA modules and the summary of the never released Gallifrey supplement! Also featured in the issue is an interview with FASA writer Ray Winninger, as well as many new articles! Reviews, adventure modules, and all of our standard features are in this Super-sized 172 page issue!!

The issue is available from the DDWRPG website.

Our next issue has lots of goodies planned including a look at the “Time Meddlers” Doctor Who RPG Fanzine from the 1980s, an interview with editor Steven Dieter, and many more good items as well! We welcome your submissions.

(with thanks to Nick Seidler)

Celebrate Regenerate - Out Now:

Lewis Christian reports on the release of his book, Celebrate, Regenerate:

(with thanks to Lewis Christian)

.As previously reported, Splendid Chaps is a year-long performance/podcast project to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who hosted by comedian Ben McKenzie (Dungeon Crawl, Melbourne Museum Comedy Tour) and writer John Richards (ABC1 sitcom Outland, Boxcutters podcast)

Described by its creators as part intellectual panel discussion, part nerdy Tonight Show, Splendid Chaps is a combination of analysis, enthusiasm and irreverence. The first episode went to number 1 on the iTunes TV & Film Podcast chart in Australia, and to number 4 in the UK.  The podcasts to previous episodes are now available at www.splendidchaps.com or at  iTunes.

Tickets are now on sale for their 7th Doctor show! This show discusses the seventh and final Doctor of what we now call the classic era, played by variety performer and actor Sylvester McCoy. Famous for escapology, spoon playing and putting ferrets down his trousers, McCoy’s casting raised a few eyebrows, but his performance changed many doubters’ minds – especially when combined with Sophie Aldred as Ace, and under the new direction provided by the incoming production team under Andrew Cartmel. Of course, no-one knew that the program’s days were numbered…

Splendid Chaps are also looking at the theme of “religion” in Doctor Who. The Doctor has been all across space and time and encountered zealots, fanatics, kindly priests, and beings who believed themselves to be gods or demons or the devil himself. But what does the program say about religion, faith and belief? Is the Doctor Who universe truly a rational one in which the supernatural is really just advanced science, or is The Beast really the Devil? Is faith worthwhile, and if so, what does the Doctor believe?

Hosts Ben McKenzie, John Richards and Petra Elliott are joined by guests including writer and game designer Paul Callaghan, comedian and television writer Dave Bloustien, and for their discussion of religion, the Reverend Dr Avril Hannah-Jones, Uniting Church minister and founder of the Church of the Latter Day Geek (as seen on Adam Hills In Gordon Street Tonight)! Plus a very special musical performance from the one and only Lee Zachariah, and all the usual prizes and surprises!

Space: The Public Bar, 238 Victoria Street, North Melbourne (opposite Victoria Markets)
Time: Sunday 14 July; recording starts 5 PM
Accessibility: This venue is wheelchair accessible.
Tickets: $15 (plus booking fee where applicable)
Bookings: via trybooking.com or at the door (subject to availability)
Podcast: not yet available; released 23 July 2013.