Return of the Autons

Tuesday, 24 February 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
A quick piece of gossip from Gallifrey 2004: apparently Bill Baggs of BBV recently negotiated with the BBC over the rights to the Autons, the plastic invaders from the Doctor Who serials "Spearhead from Space" and "Terror of the Autons". The BBC apparently negotiated rights with Baggs (who produced three Auton films) in order to procure them for an upcoming project... perhaps the new series itself? Stay tuned!




FILTER: - Production - Series 1/27

Power, Evil Singles

Tuesday, 24 February 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
As we reported yesterday, the Dalek Tin is indeed being discontinued; however, according to BBCi, both Power of the Daleks and Evil of the Daleks will be released individually on CD on August 2.




FILTER: - Classic Series

BBC Kids Canada Schedule

Tuesday, 24 February 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
BBC Kids, which airs Doctor Who across Canada, has announced a slight change in their broadcast schedule. "Due to a technical issue, our current weekday broadcast of 'Kinda' (on February 20th & 23rd) and 'The Visitation' (on February 24th & 25th) were pre-empted. Both stories will be included in the next weekday run of episodes. Our weekend showings of the Davison years remain uninterrupted. Both stories will run on their regularly scheduled weekend dates: 'Kinda' (all four episodes) on Saturday, February 28th at 1:00am & 3:30am 'The Visitation' (all four episodes) on Sunday, February 29th at 1:00am & 3:30am".




FILTER: - Canada - Broadcasting

A Labyrinth of Histories

Monday, 23 February 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
The sixth audio in BBV's Faction Paradox series, A Labyrinth of Histories by Lawrence Miles, has apparently been released in the UK (despite no update to BBV's website noting such!) The audio is the latest in the spinoff series featuring the "time-travelling voodoo cult" originally created by Miles in the BBC Books Eighth Doctor novel series. The cover illustration is at right; click for a larger version. (Thanks to Lars Pearson)




FILTER: - Audio

DMP in Australia

Monday, 23 February 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
The MP3 CD release of The Daleks' Master Plan will be out in March in Australia & New Zealand (thanks to Liam McNicholas)




FILTER: - Audio - Classic Series

Casting director and spring?

Monday, 23 February 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
The UK casting newsletter PCR (Professional Casting Review) today contains the following information: the casting director on the new Doctor Who series is Andy Pryor, whose casting credits include "Long Time Dead," "Beautiful Thing," "Trainspotting TV: The Long Firm," "Cutting It," "Linda Green" and "In a Land of Plenty," among others. The PCR article also mentions that shooting for the series "is anticipated for late spring" meaning that the production is a bit further along than previously believed. OG speculates that, because of this, an announcement of a new Doctor is probably due within the next month or two.




FILTER: - Production - Series 1/27

Dalek Tin Deleted

Monday, 23 February 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
According to Tenth Planet, the recent BBC limited edition audio Dalek Tin - which included "The Power of the Daleks," "The Evil of the Daleks" and "My Life as a Dalek" all on CD - has now been deleted by the BBC Radio Collection. The individual releases (at least the first two) will likely be available individually in the future, but not as this boxed edition.




FILTER: - Audio - Classic Series

Portal to Infinity

Monday, 23 February 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Portal To Infinity by Keith Bradbury, an unauthorized "review guide" to the original Doctor Who series previously covered on OG, is now in release.




FILTER: - Books

Big Finish Update

Sunday, 22 February 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Big Finish has released cover details and information on three forthcoming audios: March's The Twilight Kingdom by Will Shindler, the final Eighth Doctor & Charley audio of this current batch, with guest star Michael Keating ("Blake's 7"); April's The Axis of Insanity by Simon Furman, with guests Garrick Hagon (Biggs in "Star Wars") and Roy North ("Basil Brush"); and a new confirmation, July's The Roof of the World by Adrian Rigelsford, with guest star Edward de Souza (who played Marc Cory in the Doctor Who serial "Mission to the Unknown"). Details on each are below; click on each thumbnail graphic for a larger version. Meanwhile, producer John Ainsworth told the Outpost Gallifrey forum today that an additional "Doctor Who Unbound" installment will be happening, and will be out this November; and that the dates of release of the Gallifrey series will be announced soon. (Thanks to Big Finish, John Ainsworth)

The Twilight Kingdom, by Will Shindler

The blood of innocents has been spilt a terrible sequence of events has been set in motion. The forces of darkness are on the move.

Deep underground, an army of light prepares itself for the oncoming war.

The Doctor's used to winning. Stumbling in, reading the face of the enemy, and then beating the odds but what if this time he's got it wrong? Charley and C'rizz think he has.

Stripped of all that is familiar, just who is the Doctor? Major Koth thinks he knows.

Lost among the dark caverns of an unknown world, has the Doctor finally met his match?

Starring Paul McGann (the Doctor), India Fisher (Charley), Conrad Westmaas (C'Rizz) and Michael Keating (Koth), with Alan Rothwell (Janto), Ann Carus-Wilson (Vayla), Dale Ibbetsen (Quillian), Jeremy James (Bryn), Vivien Parry (Tysus), Alison Sterling (Koth's Wife) and Stephen Perring (the Kro'ka). Directed by Gary Russell.

The Axis of Insanity, by Simon Furman

What is... the Axis?

For The Doctor and his travelling companions, Peri and Erimem, it's a twisted playground, where reality, morality and sanity no longer apply. Stranded within a dimensional nexus, beset by the molten fury of the Firedbreed, they must unwrap a terrifying mystery of damaged timelines and dark science... before the corruption of the Axis spreads and reality itself crumbles.

Pitted against a warped and deadly mind, The Doctor faces his own past transgressions, and the very nature of what it is to be a Time Lord.

Starring Peter Davison (the Doctor), Nicola Bryant (Peri) and Caroline Morris (Erimem), with Garrick Hagon (the Jester), Roy North (the Overseer), Liza Ross (Jarra To), Marc Danbury (Tog), Stephen Mansfield (Bird Trader), Daniel Hogarth (Carnival Barker). Directed by Gary Russell.

The Roof of the World, by Adrian Rigelsford

Tibet. 1917. It's a time of great exploration, with intrepid teams of adventurers heading blindly into uncharted territory, determined to beat inexplicable odds and overcome any challenge they encounter. But some things are not necessarily that easy to defeat.

An ancient evil, perhaps older than time itself, is stirring deep within the heart of the Himalayas. It has always known it will return and finish off what it started so many centuries before. But the time has to be right.

As the TARDIS materialises, with the Doctor determined to take full advantage of an invite to a cricket match, the catalyst that the dark forces need unwittingly arrives.

Starring Peter Davison (the Doctor), Nicola Bryant (Peri) and Caroline Morris (Erimem), with Edward de Souza (Lord Mortimer Davey), William Franklyn (Pharaoh Amenhotep II), Sylvester Morand (General Alexander Bruce) and Alan Cox (John Matthews). Directed by Gary Russell.




FILTER: - Audio

Davison's Detective

Sunday, 22 February 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Peter Davison has returned as "Dangerous Davies" in a new series of the comedy drama "The Last Detective," which debuted on February 13 on ITV.




FILTER: - Peter Davison