According to the most recent issue of Doctor Who Magazine, the director of the first "block" of the new series is Keith Boak, who has directed for Out of the Blue, Wokenwell, City Central, Sunburn, Harbour Lights, The Knock, Mersey Beat, The Royal and Holby City. (There's no explanation of what this "Block One" comprises.) Russell Davies says that Boak "directed one of my first ever paid scripts, a 5-minute piece for the BBC's Def 2 slot". Also named in Davies' new production notes column in DWM 344 is Lucinda Wright, the new costume designer. Davies notes that work has started progressing on the first blcok as of May 17 (pre-production only), with script meetings on May 18 (discussing "Paul Cornell's script... dark and brave and every bit as brilliant as I expected") and a "tone meeting" on May 19... "All of us - producers, director, script editors, the entire design department, costume, casting, special FX, make-up and monster men - packed into one room to talk tone. MEaning what should this show look like, feel like, aspire to? Colour, sound, pitch, key?" Noted in a May 19 casting meeting session discussion in the Davies article, a new character name is mentioned; besides the aforementioned Jackie and the "Moxx of Balhoon," there is a character named Mickey, either a regular or a guest star. Also in the issue, an interview with script editors Helen Raynor and Elwen Rowlands confirms that Rowlands is working with Davies and Cornell, and Raynor with Shearman, Gatiss and Moffat (and "a bit of Russell"), but that they are working together across all episodes "to make sure that continuity works." They comment that 'Rob Shearman is chucking the "ooh" moments around like confetti [and] Paul Cornell's episode is so moving it brought a tear to the eye. Mark Gatiss' script has some hilarious moments and the sheer naughtiness of Russell's Alien's of London had us chuckling away all day. We wait delivery of Steven Moffat's script with bated breath.' Finally, Davies' Production Notes reveals that one episode features a clipboard that "creates a meeting of its own. Is it metal? Plastic? Illuminated? Sentient?... And it's only a clipboard!" This, you see, is Russell's proof that "This programme is barmy." Read all of this, plus a lot more, in the new DWM, issue 344 now on sale. (Thanks to Steve Tribe)

As has been widely reported the past several days, the fan favorite the Daleks will not be appearing in the new Doctor Who series, as talks between the BBC and the estate of creator Terry Nation have broken down over issues of editorial control. A BBC spokeswoman told BBC News, "After lengthy negotiations, the BBC and Terry Nation have been unable to reach an agreement on the terms of the use of the Daleks. The BBC offered the very best deal possible but ultimately we were not able to give the level of editorial influence that the Terry Nation estate wished to have." The Nation estate is said to be "bitterly disappointed" while Nation agent Tim Hancock stated that the BBC was trying to "ruin the brand of the Daleks. We wanted the same level of control over the Daleks that we have enjoyed for the last 40 years. If the BBC wanted to re-make any of George Lucas' films, you can bet George Lucas would have something to say about it." Hancock accused the BBC of lying about the reasons a deal had not been made, stating that the BBC had recentrly tried to commission a cartoon series about gay Daleks for BBC Three and that they had allowed Warner Bros. to use the Daleks in the recent big-budget film "Looney Tunes: Back in Action" without consulting the Nation estate. "We want to protect the integrity of the brand," Hancock said, and added that the estate would be willing to make a new deal if the BBC accepted the arrangement that had been in place for the last 40 years. Russell Davies told BBC news that he was disappointed by the decision, but that it would not affect the success of the series. "We are reinventing Doctor Who for a 21st Century audience with a fantastic writing team and exciting new challenges," Davies said. "We are disappointed that the Daleks will not be included but we have a number of new and exciting monsters. And I can confirm we have created a new enemy for the Doctor which will keep viewers on the edge of their seats." Elsewhere, an additional comment from agent Tim Hancock noted the following: "IÆm very sorry for Dr Who fans. We accept the Daleks need modernising, and are all for it. All we ask is that they consult us on the designs. But the BBC are not prepared to."

Afterwards, the newspaper The Sun said it was launching a "campaign" to save the Daleks after being exterminated from the new show. The Sun article intimated that the BBC were "desperate hi-tech versions of the Time LordÆs arch-enemies" to appear in the show, but that talks had broken down only last Wednesday when Nation's estate demanded control of Dalek storylines and that they feared producers planned to make the Daleks "too evil". A BBC "insider" told the Sun, "ItÆs hard to imagine Dr Who without Daleks but it seems we have no choice. The Nation estateÆs demands were completely unacceptable. They care a lot about the Daleks. We fear they have been lost forever." The Express ran an article on July 3 that stated that fans in Southampton had staged a protest march, with one fan being quoted as saying, "Daleks were infamous for sending children diving behind sofas in the 1960s and 70s. If an amicable deal isn't reached, the new Doctor won't ever see the Daleks again, which will be a great shame. While most fans are obviously delighted the series has finally come back, there are fears that it may bear very little resemblance to the original. And the Doctor not facing the Daleks is almost unthinkable." Shadow Education Secretary (and Doctor Who fan) Tim Collins said to the Sun, "Dr Who without the Daleks is like fish without chips. It's important the BBC does a deal." And the Manchester Evening News quoted agent Hancock as saying, "Without us the BBC would have screwed up the integrity of the Daleks image years ago."

Commentator John Walsh noted in July 3's The Independent, "It's outrageous that the new series of Doctor Who should feature no appearance by the Daleks. I was one of the original short-trousered Doctor fans who watched through latticed fingers the first gliding steps of the metal myrmidons, and I'm sorry not to see them return. But the way the story appeared in some news pages - the robotic tyrants would not appear because of 'a disagreement over appearance fees' - made it sound as if the Daleks themselves were sulkily refusing to go on TV. The usual reasons, I suppose. They had other commitments; the timing wasn't right for this stage of their career; they weren't in a good place right now; they were scheduled to appear on Broadway, in a musical called Hello Dalek. I pictured them on the phone to their agent, shouting 'Neg-o-ti-ate! Neg-o-ti-ate!'."

Many of the press clippings can now be found at the Cuttings Archive.

Media links and coverage (with thanks to Steve Tribe, Paul Engelberg, Paul Hayes):

BBC News The Sun Sky News The Register The Alien Online DigitalSpy ICnetwork

Manchester Online Big News Network MediaDrome The Mirror Waveguide Guardian Online DeHavilland

Mad Norwegian Press has announced that their Faction Paradox comic series is being discontinued; the series, which further expands on the characters and situations originally created in the BBC Doctor Who novels, published two issues and is being halted due to changes in the comics industry and at its publisher, Image Comics. The novel series, however, which just had its second release, "Of the City of the Saved" by Philip Purser-Hallard, will continue. A full Q&A about the comic cancellation can be found here. (Thanks to Lars Pearson)

The BBC Books novel Synthespians™ by Craig Hinton, which was originally to be released in early July, has been delayed several weeks and will now be out on July 19. The reason: an alteration to the cover, likely due to legal reasons (as it was originally based on a "Dynasty" image), which resulted in a reprinting of the book stock. At right is a thumbnail of the final cover illustration; we hope to have a better copy shortly. (Thanks to Tenth Planet)

Composer Mark Ayres updated us today on the status of the Resistance is Futile CD. "No, the 'Resistance is Futile' CD ('Resistance is Useless' - if I have my way!) is not out yet. Nor has it been finally scheduled. Many retailers have been taking pre-orders, true...but it has certainly not been cancelled, so have no fear! The reasons for the delay are complicated. Firstly, getting all the artists together and assembling the masters took time, and the tracklisting is still not finalised. Secondly, BBC Music have been rethinking their distribution arrangements over the past few months and this has meant - sadly - a lot of projects being delayed. New distribution systems are being worked on, and as soon as there is any news, I am sure I will be able to pass it on..." (Thanks to Mark Ayres)

The music web zine Kerrang today has a statement regarding the recent press reports that US band Slipknot were in talks to record the new series theme tune (which OG already noted was not true.) "Slipknot are not in talks to record the theme tune to the classic TV show Doctor Who," says the article, "despite a report in a tabloid last week. The Sun 'revealed' that the masked metallers were working on a song to be used for the showÆs comeback at the end of the year, but a spokesperson for the band denied the claims when contacted by Kerrang!" (Thanks to Steve Tribe)

Carnegie Mellon's Robot Hall of Fame poll is on... and K-9 is one of the finalists! Click the link to vote!

All the slots for extras for an upcoming audio from Big Finish are now full. "Thanks to everyone who answered I thought I might get 10 replies," producer Gary Russell told Outpost Gallifrey. "Ten times that by Sunday and they're still coming... As I only needed about 25, I'm now closing this request cos I've got what I needed. But a very, very heartfelt thanks to everyone who responded. We at Big Finish Towers are enormously grateful, and flattered, that so many volunteered. Next time I'll hire a cathedral rather than a studio and we might fit everyone in."

Music lovers should check out Orbital's new 'Blue Album', out today (Mon 21 June), which features on the fifth track entitled "You Lot", a sample featuring the voice of Christopher Eccleston from the ITV 2003 drama 'The Second Coming'. Orbital, of course remixed the Dr Who theme tune on their last album "The Altogether" which was used to accompany the 40th Anniversary celebration on last years' Doctor Who DVDs. (Thanks to Richard Allison)

There's a change at the top level on the continuing Doctor Who novel series at BBC Books -- commissioning editor Ben Dunn will be leaving BBC Books this summer to join HarperCollins, steering a new humor book line starting in August. Range consultant Justin Richards, who has been responsible for much of the interaction on publication of the books with the various authors on the range, today told Outpost Gallifrey, "For the record (and the fans) Ben's leaving makes no difference to schedules or projects currently committed." Justin did not comment on who would actually take over for Dunn on the book series. We wish Mr. Dunn well in his future pursuits, and meanwhile are delighted that the range will continue unabated. (Thanks to Justin Richards)