Big Finish CoversBookmark and Share

Tuesday, 30 November 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
One more piece of news from the ChicagoTARDIS convention that wasn't in yesterday's report: Big Finish will be keeping the current logo (the one used since the 1996 TV Movie) on the covers of their audios, as the current logo symbolizes the "classic" era of Doctor Who. It's possible the "new" logo will only be used for tie-ins that have to do with the new series (perhaps BBC Books novels featuring the Ninth Doctor and Rose?) More details as we get them.




FILTER: - Audio

Match of the DayBookmark and Share

Tuesday, 30 November 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
The cover illustration (courtesy BBCi) and cover blurb (courtesy the BBC Shop) are now available for Match of the Day, the Fourth Doctor/Leela novel due out in January by Chris Boucher ("Psi-ence Fiction").
MATCH OF THE DAY, by Chris Boucher

There were the contracts, the agents, the local sponsors, the pay-per-view broadcasts, the independent verification of results, the laws which made murder legal in carefully defined circumstancesà It had taken a long time for the system of freelance duellists to be established, and an even longer time to develop the league of interplanetary superstars the others fought to reach and to challenge. And just when it was all working satisfactorily and profitably someone or something started interfering with the set up.

Famous fighters died in private duels. Up-and-coming professional fighters began to fall victim to casual, one-time challengers û the sort of psychos and testosterone-addled drunks who would themselves be expected to die quickly and routinely.

When Leela is challenged to a duel to the death, the Doctor realizes that there is more to the situation than simple murder and mayhem. But before he can sort it out, he needs to save his client û Leela. How long can she survive on a planet where not to kill is an offence punishable by death?

This adventure features the Fourth Doctor and Leela.




FILTER: - Books

Noise Monster: Space 1889Bookmark and Share

Monday, 29 November 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Noise Monster Productions is a new audio production team created by Big Finish producers John Ainsworth and Nicholas Briggs, branching out to create independent audio dramas; among the people also involved are such Doctor Who notables as Marc Platt ("Spare Parts"), Jonathan Clements ("Sympathy for the Devil") and Steve Foxon (sound designer). The production company's first audio series is based on Space: 1889, the science fiction role playing game and early computer game; among the cast members are Simon Williams (Group Captain Gilmore from "Remembrance of the Daleks"), Ivor Danvers ("Nekromanteia") and "Star Wars" legend Anthony Daniels (See-Threepio), as well as several actors from the casts of Doctor Who and spinoff audios from Big Finish and BBV including Ian Brooker, Katarina Olsson, Toby Longworth and Jo Castleton. More details are available at their website at http://www.noisemonster.com




FILTER: - Audio

Big Finish NewsBookmark and Share

Monday, 29 November 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Outpost Gallifrey has several pieces of news for upcoming Big Finish projects from this past weekend's ChicagoTARDIS convention. Two forthcoming Big Finish audios now have known writers attached to them: next June's Seventh Doctor audio Unregenerate! is by David A. McIntee ("Excelis Rising"), while July 2005's Eighth Doctor audio Terror Firma is by Joseph Lidster ("Master"). The previously announced Dead Man's Hand by John Ostrander has been delayed due to the author's current work schedule but will hopefully be added on at a later date; meanwhile, Big Finish did confirm that there will still be two audios featuring the new companion Hex (Philip Olivier) in 2005. Additionally, Big Finish will be releasing their series side by side throughout 2005: the UNIT miniseries runs this December through March; the secondGallifrey audio series runs April through August; and the previously rumored Cybermen four-part miniseries will start in August 2005 and run through November. Finally, when asked if there would be any possible return of the characters and situations from the Dalek Empire series, possibly even in their regular Doctor Who series, there were indications that the ideas had been discussed but no announcement was made as of yet. More details soon.




FILTER: - Audio

Music by Murray GoldBookmark and Share

Monday, 29 November 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Musician Murray Gold will be composing the incidental music for the new series, according to sources. Gold is also currently working on the score for new series producer Russell T Davies' other current project, "Casanova," and is responsible for such television scores as "The Canterbury Tales" (which starred Billie Piper), "Shameless" and "Servants," and Davies' other television projects, "The Second Coming" and both series of "Queer as Folk". (Thanks to Stephen Sherry)




FILTER: - Music - Murray Gold

Zoe Wanamaker in Series, says MirrorBookmark and Share

Saturday, 27 November 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Reports in today's Mirror that Zoe Wanamaker -- the esteemed character actress best known for her roles in the sitcom "My Family," as broom instructor Madame Hooch in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," and as Clarice Groan in the BBC adaptation of "Gormenghast" -- has been cast in the new Doctor Who series. Read the spoiler-tagged section as the report in the Mirror also includes spoilers about the episode she's in...
From today's "Mirror": the article Zoe Who-Ha notes that, in more news from the set "where increasing numbers of famous faces are turning up to join in. This week it's Zoe Wanamaker's turn in an episode called 'Survivor.'" According to the Mirror, Wanamaker plays "the oldest person in the world, who is being kept alive in a desolate and abandoned London by her alien captors."

The article also notes that the producers have devised a "cunning" way to let viewers known when the Doctor is entering a new time zone: he "changes his jumper. You read it here first," says the Mirror.




FILTER: - Guest Stars - Series 1/27 - Press

The Mind Robber DVD ExtrasBookmark and Share

Saturday, 27 November 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
The BBC Shop website has released details of the extras in the forthcoming UK DVD release of The Mind Robber. Included is a commentary (as we previously reported) with actors Wendy Padbury, Frazer Hines and Hamish Wilson (the "alternate" Jamie) as well as director David Maloney; "The Fact of Fiction," a 34-minute featurette featuring the actors and production team recalling working on the story; "Highlander," a 22 minute interview with Frazer Hines looking back on his career in Doctor Who and beyond; plus production notes, photo gallery and an easter egg. "The Mind Robber" is due out in the UK in March from BBC Video.




FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

Horror of Fang Rock DVD coverBookmark and Share

Wednesday, 24 November 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Outpost Gallifrey has received the cover illustration for Horror of Fang Rock, the January 2005 UK DVD release starring Tom Baker. Click on the thumbnail at right for a larger version. (Thanks to Tenth Planet.)




FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD

Cookie Jar Attack!Bookmark and Share

Wednesday, 24 November 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Tenth Planet has sent us details of three new cookie jars being released in February 2005. Cards Inc. will be releasing these licensed cookie jars, the first being a silver and blue Dalek, with a Davros and a K9 cookie jar each immediately thereafter. The adverts are below along with a photo of the Dalek jar; click on each for a larger version. (Thanks to Tenth Planet)




FILTER: - Merchandise

No Christmas Airing for New ShowBookmark and Share

Wednesday, 24 November 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Those readers who were hoping that there'd be a preview showing of the new Doctor Who series at Christmas time (as had been rumored in online circles, though not here at OG) take note: the BBC's holiday season television schedules are now out and there's no mention of the show at all. This lends further credence to the spring airing, which we will believe is a mid-March debut. (Thanks to "Distant Dave")




FILTER: - Broadcasting