Actually, Churchill Might Not Be Back

Earlier today, we reported that Ian McNeice would be returning to Doctor Who as Winston Churchill. Well, it turns out The Ritz Cinema were wrong and it was a misquote.

Speaking with Doctor Who Online, Ian said "I am not doing Doctor Who at present, but would be thrilled to return if asked. K.B.O!"

This is slightly disappointing news, but we hope to see Winston back in Doctor Who soon!

Get Doctor Who: Dark Eyes For £20!

Have you been wanting Dark Eyes, but think £40 is too expensive? Well, you're in luck! Because the box set won the "Paul's Picks" competition, it's on a 50% off sale! Just click here and enter "tardybox" in order to get Dark Eyes on digital download or CD for just £20.00! This sale won't last forever, so get it quickly!

OFFER ENDS FRIDAY!

Winston Churchill Will Be Back In Doctor Who!

According to Ian McNeice, Winston Churchill will be returning to Doctor Who:

Ooooo spoilers.... Winston Churchill to return to Doctor Who
— Ritz Cinema Lincoln (@TheRitzCinema) August 31, 2013

 That's all we know for now. It is unknown which episode he will be appearing in - it could be the 50th anniversary special, 2013 Christmas special, Series 8 or even Series 9!

Sources: Blogtor Who & Twitter

Doctor Who - The Ice Warriors - DVD Review

For years, two episodes of the six-part Troughton story The Ice Warriors have been missing from the BBC's archives, and so the story has never been officially released on DVD (actually, it was released on VHS but the two missing episodes were audio-only.) Well, thanks to Qurios and their team, these two episodes have been animated for a DVD release and they really do look good! In fact, I'd say it's the best Doctor Who animation so far!

So, what do I think of the story?
I wasn't expecting too much from The Ice Warriors thanks to all the reviews that say it's disappointing and slow, but I was very pleased with it!

I think it's a good, solid six-parter that introduces the Ice Warriors and has some great scenes (the bit where the TARDIS lands upside down and the end of part 1 / start of part 2 are brilliant!) and of course, fantastic acting from Troughton, Hines, Watling and quite a few other members of the cast.

The Ice Warriors are great monsters here - they want to get back to Mars and don't really care about Earth, but that doesn't mean they won't kill people who get in their way. I love the setting of another Earth ice age, it feels really well done.

Now, unfortunately, The Ice Warriors suffers from the same fate as quite a few other early Who stories - it's too damn long and didn't need to be six episodes long, and could have easily been four. Luckily that's the only problem I have with it so it's not bad at all to be honest. All in all? Brilliant story with some brilliant scenes but it's a little bit too long, and that's all I can say, really.

The animation?
WOW! Even if you're not a huge fan of the story, this is a great reason to go out and buy this DVD! Qurios, Chris Chapman and everyone else involved did an AMAZINGLY AWESOMELY BRILLIANT job! I just can't fault the animation at all! Honestly, as people have said, it's so good you kind of forget it's animation!

It's obviously not the best animation ever made, but, excluding the upcoming Scream of the Shalka, it's certainly the best animated Doctor Who DVD release so far. As good as The Invasion and The Reign of Terror were, this is just fantastic. A HUGE reason to buy it! A must-have for any Doctor Who fan, old or new!

Alien Design?
I love the Ice Warrior design - as you can see, Marsians are not little green men from outer space! Brilliant aliens which were great in their Series 7 appearance Cold War. I really hope Capaldi gets to meet them!

Special features?
These are another major reason to buy this DVD. There are three different sets of commentaries:

1. Frazer Hines, Deborah Watling, Sonny Caldinez, Jeremy Davies and Pat Heigham commentate episodes 1, 4, 5 & 6). 2. original archive recordings or readings of text written by Brian Hayles, Derek Martinus, Martin Baugh, Bernard Bresslaw, Peter Barkworth, Wendy Gifford and Sylvia James on episode 2. 3. Patrick Troughton's son (Michael) commentates episode 3.

Very interesting way to do the commentary, they're all pretty good too!

It has programme subtitles and subtitle production notes, don't really have anything to say about those.

On disc 2, there is a 25-minute documentary called Cold Fusion where the cast and crew look back on the making of the story, featuring Frazer Hines, Deborah Watling, Sonny Caldinez, Jeremy Davies and James Bresslaw. Quite interesting, worth a watch.

There is a short behind the scenes video called Beneath the Ice which features the producers and directors of the animated episodes. It tells you a bit about how they were made. Again, quite interesting and definitely worth a watch.

It has the original VHS links featuring Hines and Watling linking the missing episodes, which is a pretty nice addition.

It features a Blue Peter design a monster competition which ran during the transmission of this story. Fairly interesting, and again, a very nice addition. An entertaining 10 or so minutes.

It also features the second part of Doctor Who Stories: Frazer Hines which looks back at Jamie's later Doctor Who appearances. Very interesting, especially if you're a fan of Jamie.

Of course, there's the standard photo gallery, Radio Times listings in PDF format, programme subtitles and a coming soon trailer for Scream of the Shalka which will be released next month. It's a very good trailer and honestly makes me want to watch the little animated story starring Richard E. Grant!

Overall, a great buy for just about any Doctor Who fan. The animation doesn't take anything away from the story, and I'd take this animation over a pictures and audio reconstruction any day, as much as I respect the people who make those.

Overall Rating: 9/10

Amazing story, amazing animation but minus one point for being a bit too long.

Buy The Ice Warriors on DVD here for £14.00!

Doctor Who: Jubilee Review

Released in January 2003, Jubilee was the 40th Doctor Who audio drama to be released by Big Finish. It stars Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor and Maggie Stables as companion Evelyn Smythe. It is written by Robert Shearman and is directed by both Robert Shearman and Nicholas Briggs. It later became the 2005 TV story Dalek starring Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper.

Big Finish's synopsis:

Hurrah! The deadly Daleks are back! Yes, those loveable tinpot tyrants have another plan to invade our world. Maybe this time because they want to drill to the Earth's core. Or maybe because they just feel like it.

And when those pesky pepperpots are in town, there is one thing you can be sure of. There will be non-stop, high octane mayhem in store. And plenty of exterminations!

But never fear. The Doctor is on hand to sort them out. Defender of the Earth, saviour of us all. With his beautiful assistant, Evelyn Smythe, by his side, he will fight once again to uphold the beliefs of the English Empire. All hail the glorious English Empire!

Now that sounds like a jubilee worth celebrating, does it not?

This is a brilliant story! I was a bit hesitant on buying it because I thought it might be too similar to Dalek which I've seen so many times before, but it ended up being very, very different, hell, it was better than Dalek!

Other than The Marian Conspiracy, this was the first story I listened to that featured Evelyn and I must say I'm completely sold on the companion and will definitely be buying more stories that feature her!

So, the acting - Colin Baker is bloody brilliant and really shows us that with a good script, he's an amazing actor. Maggie Stables is just as good as Colin and as I said before, Evelyn is a great character. Martin Jarvis is very good, Rosalind Ayres is great, Nicholas Briggs plays all three of his roles extremely well. A story FULL of good actors.

Jubilee feels so different to Dalek... It's longer, darker, more developed. Just amazing, one of the best audios I've listened to so far. The daleks are at their best here and how could anyone forget about the Dalek song? We are the Daleks and this is our song, we are very naughty and do lots of wrong!

I LOVED the setting of the Tower of London. Thanks to the amazing production and direction, you actually feel as if you're there watching it if you're really in to it.

I loved how everyone in Britain seemed to love the Daleks so much and find them fascinating, despite hating them so much.

My favourite non-main character in this story is Nigel Rochester. Can't really say I know why, I just like him.

My favourite line comes from Evelyn - "You're still my dearest friend... Still the best thing that ever happened to me. The places you've taken me, the wonders you've shared... I know that whatever happened to me along the way, even death, it was worth it." - such a beautiful line that really helped me like Evelyn!

Excellent, interesting, entertaining Dalek story that really had me hooked. I really wish Dalek was a bit more like this, but still... Another fantastic Robert Shearman story and I really hope we get to see more of his work in future Big Finish audios! And again, if you're worried about it feeling too similar to Dalek, then let me tell you the two are nothing like eachother, and this still feels like a whole new amazing adventure! One of the best Doctor Who stories of all time!

I'd certainly recommend this as your first Big Finish audio, although I'd recommend listening to Evelyn's first story (The Marian Conspiracy) first... At £2.99 each, they shouldn't be too hard to afford!

Overall Rating: 10/10

You can buy Jubilee for £2.99 download or £5.00 CD here.

Free Iris Wildthyme Episode!

To celebrate the release of the fourth series of Iris Wildthyme adventures, Big Finish is releasing Iris Wildthyme: Appreciation Society for free in their latest podcast!

If you're unsure of who Iris Wildthyme is, hopefully this TARDIS Wiki article helps!

How The Fires Of Pompeii Could Be Viewed As A Multi-Doctor Story

Please do not take this article as fact.

  

One day in the not-so-distant future, Clara Oswald and the 12^th Doctor find themselves in mortal danger. After the threat becomes too much for them, their only option is to disappear into time and space in the hopes that their pursuers will forget them. After activating the chameleon arch, both the Doctor and Clara are separated across time as the TARDIS randomly selects a new life for the two...although maybe it’s not as random as they think. Because the life that is chosen for the 12^th Doctor is in Pompeii, a few weeks before his predecessor arrives.

 

When the 12^th Doctor sees the 10^th Doctor’s TARDIS, he has an immediate reaction to it like the Derek Jacobi master did when he was in the guise of Professor Yana. He bought it straight away and had it moved to his home against the will of his family who couldn’t see the beauty in what he called “modern art”. This is because under the influence of the chameleon arch fob watch, the sight of his marvellous time-space machine has registered with him on a subconscious level allowing him to see the beauty it truly holds as a gateway to the stars.

 

In the 12^th Doctor’s home in Pompeii, it is revealed that he has been making circuitry out of marble slabs. This could be the result of instructions for a prophecy, although the Doctor’s knowledge of advanced technology may have played a big part in its production.

 

When the soothsayers are speaking to the 10^th Doctor about Gallifrey and his name, ‘Doctor’, the 12^th Doctor can be seen in the background, having what is possibly a mental reaction to hearing those words being spoken.

 

At the end of the episode the 10^th Doctor is about to leave Pompeii to burn but Donna forces him to go back and save his future self and his human family (the ‘DoctorDonna’ link in her head is drawing her to the Doctor “like destiny” as described in Journey’s End). And so, the 10^th Doctor saves the 12^th Doctor, both of whom are completely unaware that they are the same man, and Twelve is able to reunite with Clara and return to the Time Vortex.

Of course a lot of this is conjecture from a performance with not nearly this much detail planned but I think retconing it to making it a multi-Doctor story would be such a Moffat thing to do.

 

(Oh, so this means the Doctor invented the word “Volcano” too. I always thought it was weird having the character make up a new word after seeing his whole life burn to the ground. Perhaps he was not inventing the word but remembering the word.)

This article was written and submitted by Tarminuus. All credit goes to him.

The Ice Warriors Is Out Now On DVD!

Don't forget, the partly-missing The Ice Warriors is out now on DVD with two animated episodes! It's great to see another Troughton story get a DVD release! You can buy it here for £14.00!

Review coming soon...

Doctor Who: Seasons Of Fear Review

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS.

Released in March 2002, Seasons of Fear was the 30th Doctor Who audio drama to be released by Big Finish. It stars Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor and India Fisher as companion Charley Pollard. It is written by Paul Cornell & Caroline Symcox. It is directed by Gary Russell.

Big Finish's synopsis:

"On New Year's Eve, 1930, the Doctor lets Charley keep her appointment at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore. But his unease at what he's done to time by saving her life soon turns to fear. Sebastian Grayle: immortal, obsessed, ruthless, has come to the city to meet the Time Lord. To the Doctor, he's a complete stranger, but to Grayle, the Doctor is an old enemy.

An enemy that, many years ago, he finally succeeded in killing. And this is his only chance to gloat.

The Doctor and Charley desperately search human history for the secret of Grayle's power and immortality. Their quest takes in four different time periods - the Hellfire Club, the court of Edward the Confessor and the time vortex itself. And when the monsters arrive, the stakes are raised from the life of one Time Lord to the existence of all humanity.

This one is pretty wibbly wobbly timey wimey! Since it comes right after The Chimes of Midnight, I wouldn't have cared if it were a bad story, but it's not a bad story. It's another brilliant (not to mention confusing) story with some really clever ideas... AND it's written by Paul Cornell!

The story starts with The Doctor and Charley arriving in Singapore to meet someone called Alex. While in a cafe, a mysterious man comes up to The Doctor, bragging about how he'd killed him in the past. The Doctor soon realises that this man's past is The Doctor's future, the timeline they're in is not real and the mysterious man is called Sebastian Grayle and is the grandfather of Charley's friend - Alex Grayle. The Doctor and Charley go back in time to prevent Sebastian Grayle from doing any harm... But will they succeed?

The acting... Paul McGann was amazingly brilliant as usual - so much lost potential for a TV series! India Fisher was fantastic, Stephen Perring (Sebastian Grayle) was fantastic, Robert Curbishley (Lucillius and Nimon voice) was amazing, Justine Mitchell (Lucy Martin) was great and all the other actors with minor parts were pretty damn good too.

Seeing the Nimon in a good story really made me happy. I love the things but I think The Horns of Nimon had the potential to be a lot better, even if I did quite like it. I also like how Paul McGann narrates the story, a lot like he did at the start of Doctor Who: The Movie. The Zagreus poem (or whatever it is) is great too... Zagreus sits inside your head, Zagreus lives among the dead, Zagreus sees you in your bed, and eats you when you're sleeping. I've got no idea if I'll like the story Zagreus, but I certainly like the little poem.

The various settings were all fantastic! The production team made them feel extremely realistic!

My favourite character featured in this story other than the main two is Lucy Martin. She's just so much like Charley. I just want to know what happened to her at the end, so I'm guessing I need to listen to Embrace the Darkness!

My favourite line comes from The Doctor - "I'm shopping around, trying out all the different cults". Oh, and just about everything that thing said in the end was cool and creepy.

It's just a really good story that had me hooked from beginning to end, despite a couple of parts that feel slow. Honestly, I wasn't expecting to see the Nimon again after the awful reputation of their debut story and bringing them back was a very brave move. A very entertaining two hours!

I probably wouldn't recommend this as your first Big Finish audio though - you should get to know the Eighth Doctor and Charley through Storm Warning, and maybe you should listen to Invaders From Mars and The Chimes of Midnight before this.

Overall Rating: 9/10

You can buy Seasons of Fear for £2.99 download or £5.00 CD here.

Doctor Who: The Mutant Phase Review

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS.

Released in December 2000, The Mutant Phase was the 15th Doctor Who audio drama to be released by Big Finish. It stars Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor and Sarah Sutton as companion Nyssa. It is written and directed by Nicholas Briggs.

Big Finish's synopsis:

"In the 22nd century, the Daleks have occupied planet Earth. By the 43rd century, only a handful of humans survive. Still further into the distant future, a Thal scientist must choose whether to betray his heritage, or see the universe destroyed.

When the Doctor and Nyssa find themselves trapped in this deadly chain of events, they must decide who their real enemies are. What is certain, however, is that no matter where the Doctor turns, his arch enemies, the Daleks, will be waiting for him.

What could possibly be worse than that? The Mutant Phase..." 

This is a really enjoyable story in my opinion. It really does remind me of The Dalek Invasion of Earth - one of my favourite First Doctor stories. Almost everything was done by Nicholas Briggs - the writing, the directing and the Dalek voices... And he does a really good job with it all! The idea of the Mutant Phase was just great!

The story starts with The Doctor and Nyssa landing on a planet that, at first glance, looks completely un-populated. Then they hear weapons and The Doctor realises that they're on Earth... In the 2150s... During the Dalek occupation of Earth. Once The Doctor realises this, the two decide to go back to the TARDIS but thanks to the Daleks, are unable to escape.

So, the acting... Peter Davison was fantastic, much better than his average TV story! Sarah Sutton was also great and Nyssa remains one of my favourite companions. Nicholas Briggs gave us some great Dalek voices as always. Jared Morgan was great as Commander Ganatus. Mark Gatiss gave quite a good performance as Karl Hendryk. None of the other actors really stood out to me, but none of them were bad. All the characters were good but I think Davison gave the best performance.

The settings (Kansas 2158 AD, London 4253 AD, Skaro) were all great. That's all I have to say about them.

My favourite character featured in this story other than the Fifth Doctor or Nyssa is the Dalek Emperor. Seriously, it's his first proper appearance since 1967's The Evil of the Daleks and he's just an awesome character. Especially with the way he implants his mind into Ganatus' to be completely sure The Doctor and Ptolem travel back in time to prevent the Mutant Phase.

My favourite line is from the Dalek Emperor - "I am Emperor of the Daleks! Destined to be ruler of the universe!"

I can't fault much but what really I don't like is the ending - it just feels so sudden, but oh well. The story is free on Big Finish's Soundcloud and for that reason (as well as the fact it's a great story), I would recommend it as your first Big Finish audio.

Overall Rating: 9/10

You can buy The Mutant Phase for £2.99 download or £5.00 CD here.

Eleventh Doctor Mr Potato Head Is Out Now!

The Eleventh Doctor (as played on TV by "Mash" Smith!) Mr Potato Head is finally out! The set comes with eight fantastic accessories and from what I've seen, it looks great.

You can buy it here for £16.99.

Christopher Eccleston's Special Message To BFI Attendees

Despite Christopher Eccleston not being at the BFI showing of Bad Wolf & The Parting of the Ways, BFI host Justin Johnson read out a special message from the Ninth Doctor himself:

"I love the BFI. I love The Doctor and hope you enjoy this presentation. Joe Ahearne directed five of the thirteen episodes of the first series. He understood the tone the show needed completely - strong, bold, pacy visuals coupled with wit, warmth and a twinkle in the performances, missus."

"If Joe agrees to direct the 100th anniversary special, I will bring my Sonic and a stair-lift and - providing the Daleks don't bring theirs - I, the Ninth Doctor, vow to save the universe and all you apes in it."

Well, it's good to see Eccleston say another word about Doctor Who, and even say he loves The Doctor. Well, now I'm just going to hope Joe Ahearne gets to direct the 60th, 70th, 80th, 90th, 100th or whateverth anniversary...

Source: Radio Times

50th Anniversary - Leaked Photo

Thanks to a very cool Twitter user, we have this leaked photo of a clip from the 50th anniversary special which was shown at the Edinburgh Film Festival. The clip features David Tennant, Matt Smith and John Hurt.

Big Finish Doctor Who Bank Holiday Sale

The top five in Doctor Who Magazine Issue 464's 'Best Audio' category have been reduced in price by Big Finish as part of a bank holiday sale.

The current prices are:

The Fourth Doctor Box Set - 10% off, £40.50 for download or £49.50 for CD.

Dark Eyes - 20% off, £28.00 for download or £32.00 for CD.

Jago & Litefoot: Series Four Box Set - 30% off, £21.00 download or £24.50 CD.

The Last Post - 40% off, £4.79 download or £5.39 CD.

Gods and Monsters - 50% off, £6.50 download or £7.50 CD.

This sale won't last for long so if there's anything there that you want, I'd get it as soon as possible.

Russell T Davies Talks About Peter Capaldi

Russell T Davies - the man who brought Doctor Who back from the dead and brought us two spin-offs has spoken with Doctor Who Magazine and here is what he said:

"Perfect casting, just perfect! I'd kept Peter's phone number after we worked together on The Fires of Pompeii and Torchwood. I loved him as an actor, and a writer, and a director, I was actually in awe of him, and so clung to his number, in a slightly stalkerish way. Quite apart from his five million wonderful appearances on screen, I think that scene in episode 3 of Torchwood: Children of Earth, where Peter's character faces the 456 for the first time, is one of the finest performances in anything ever. Seriously. Anything. Ever."

"I was as surprised as anyone! I'd heard rumours about Peter in the weeks beforehand, but I'd convinced myself it couldn't be true, because he's in The Musketeers. In fact, I was quite sad, cos I thought about him a lot, and realised how good he'd be, and now we'd never get to see him. Damn. So the moment Zoe Ball said his name was actually quite mind-blowing. I still find it difficult, even now to find adjectives big and bold enough to describe how brilliant this is!"

"So I texted him on Sunday, saying 'Oh my God.' And imagine, just imagine how many texts he got that night. But then today, the phone went ping, and there he was. Doctor Who. On my mobile. And a new golden age begins! That's four golden ages in a row now!"

Source: Doctor Who TV 

Does This Doctor Who Comic Confirm John Hurt's Role?

Paul Cornell - the writer of TV episodes Father's Day, Human Nature and The Family of Blood has written a blog post about his upcoming Doctor Who comic story - The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who - the final Doctor Who comic to be published by IDW.

The blog post features the first two pages of the comic and as you can see, it features Matt Smith's Doctor looking at all his past incarnations. But wait, who is that between Paul McGann and Christopher Eccleston? Probably John Hurt's Doctor!

The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who will be out just before Christmas, so just before Matt Smith's regeneration in the Christmas special.

Source: PaulCornell.com

Thanks to Bleeding Cool for finding this information!

Doctor Who: Bang-Bang-a-Boom! Review

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS.

Released in December 2002, Bang-Bang-a-Boom! was the 39th Doctor Who audio drama to be released by Big Finish. It stars Sylvester McCoy as the Seventh Doctor and Bonnie Langford as companion Melanie Bush. It is written by Gareth Roberts & Clayton Hickman and directed by Nicholas Pegg.

Big Finish's synopsis:

"Dark Space 8 - an advanced monitoring station floating serenely among the stars. Its crew - a dedicated and highly-skilled group of professionals, calmly going about their vital work. Its mission - to boldly host the Intergalactic Song Contest.

With representatives from myriad worlds competing, the eyes of the universe are on the station. But dark deeds are afoot aboard Dark Space 8... and people are starting to die.

The haughty Queen Angvia, the gaseous gestalt Gholos, the disposable pop idol Nicky Neumann, erratic Professor Fassbinder and the icily-efficient Dr Helena Harcourt all are suspects. Could old political rivalries be manifesting themselves among the contestants? Is this the work of a breakaway terrorist faction? Or has someone just got it in for singer-songwriters?

With peace in the galaxy hanging by a thread, it's vital that the mystery is solved and fast! Can Dark Space 8's unconventional new commander, with the help of his personal pilot, Mel, find the murderer in time to prevent a major intergalactic war?

Or will it be null points for the entire universe?"

I was really looking forward to this story since it's written by the same two people who brought us The One Doctor a year ago. Then I noticed it gets next to no love from fans. Is it as good as it's predecessor? No. Is it disappointing? Yes. Is it still decent? Yes. Just keep in mind, if you're expecting something incredibly funny and brilliant like The One Doctor, you're going to be disappointed.

The story starts with The Doctor and Mel attempting to get to France but ending up on some kind of spaceship where they notice what seems to be a bomb. Soon after that, they find themselves transported to some other spaceship called Dark Space 8. In an attempt to stay out of trouble, The Doctor and Mel decide to pretend they are the now-dead commander and pilot. They then learn of the Intergalactic Song Contest. Shortly after this, people start dying. Can The Doctor find out what, or who, is causing the deaths?

So, as for the acting... Sylvester McCoy is brilliant as usual, Bonnie Langford is pretty good and Mel isn't really annoying in this story. Actually, all the actors in this are very good.

I love the setting - an spaceship where an intergalactic talent contest of sorts is being hosted. It sort of reminds me of the Series 1 TV episode The End of the World although Bang-Bang-a-Boom! is probably the better story.

My favourite character featured in this story other than the Seventh Doctor is Gholos. Just hell yes, a very cool alien.

My favourite line... Hmm, that's a tough one. Honestly, it'd have to be "If we don't stop him, it's bang-bang-a-boom!" - the reason for the story title.

Another thing I like is how in episode 4 when The Doctor and Mel are about to leave, the ending theme comes on then goes off with The Doctor saying "It's too easy" then it goes back to the story.

Bang-Bang-a-Boom! features some very interesting scenes such as the Seventh Doctor dining with Queen Angvia which results in him... Falling in love with her? What? Isn't that a little out of character? Alright, something really is wrong with him. I didn't want anything like that to happen but the scene where he tells Mel about it is quite funny so it's forgiven, I guess.

Something I really didn't like was the way I had to listen to Nicholas Briggs recap the episodes. I know it was meant to be a joke and they were almost funny but as cool as Nicholas is and as awesome as his voice is, I just want to get on to the next part of the story - they're not broadcast in the form of weekly episodes here so the ridiculous recap is just unnecessary. The story was also a little slow and there are a couple of moments that make me cringe just thinking about them (the pits of Angvia...) but it's got just enough good things to make it a decent story.

I definitely wouldn't recommend this as your first Big Finish audio. It's not really bad but they've produced so many better stories. I'd recommend getting into Big Finish through something like Storm Warning, The One Doctor, The Chimes of Midnight, Blood of the Daleks, Spare Parts, The Holy Terror or Flip-Flop.

Overall Rating: 6/10

You can buy Bang-Bang-a-Boom! for £2.99 download or £5.00 CD here.

Nicholas Briggs: "50th Anniversary Will Have Some Big, Big Explosions"

Nicholas Briggs - the man who voices the Daleks, Cybermen and various other aliens has said this while talking about the 50th anniversary special with ZoneOneRadio:

"There were some big, big explosions. The biggest explosions I've ever seen on Doctor Who when they were shooting the bits with the Daleks. And I suddenly got a feeling of what it might be like to be in a warzone! The set-ups with the Daleks are the most spectacular, ambitious set-ups I've ever worked on on Doctor Who. It was like being in a huge movie. It was enormous. There was rubble everywhere!"

The 50th anniversary special will air on 23rd November. Don't miss it!

The Pandorica Opens- 5/10

This episode really gave me a headache. Instead of doing my normal review, I am just going to ask a bunch of questions that formed in my mind as I watched. 

HOW DOES RORY REMEMBER ANYTHING?

 

So, the Rory in this episode is actually a plastic robot (even though they make a metallic noise) waiting to mess things up. They created him from a photo in Amy's room. Why does he remember anything that happened after the photo? And why is he the only one that is awake while being controlled? He shoots Amy and is conscious of it. Why? He isn't really Rory. This makes no sense to me. 

HOW IS THE EMPTY SHELL OF THE CYBERMAN MOVING?

Rory kills a cyberman that was attacking Amy. No one was in the suit. I thought that there had to be someone in the suit for it to work. So how is this one moving? 

WHERE DOES RIVER SONG LAND WHEN THE TARDIS BLOWS UP?

In the end, River Song opens the Tardis doors and sees a stone wall. What does this mean??? Where is she? Why is there so many darn questions?! 

Is it so hard to have an episode where we can just view and enjoy it? I get wanting a little mystery for the next episode, but crapadoo! My head literally hurts now!

Rebecca White likes to sit at home and watch Doctor Who with her husband Ethan and her dog Moomar. She has a cat, but she does not like watching Doctor Who with him. (He gets ideas from the Daleks.) Follow her on twitter @grumpywhovian and check out her blog grumpywhovian.wordpress.com. 

Doctor Who: Spore Is Out Now!

The eighth of the 2013 monthly Doctor Who ebooks published by Puffin is out now! This one features the Eighth Doctor, as played by Paul McGann in 1996, and is called Spore. It is written by TimeRiders author Alex Scarrow.

It is currently priced at £1.99 for Amazon Kindle. You can buy it from Amazon.co.uk here. Unfortunately, it does not appear to be available on Amazon.com right now.

Doctor Who: The One Doctor Review

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS.

Released in December 2001, The One Doctor was the 27th Doctor Who audio drama to be released by Big Finish. It stars Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor and Bonnie Langford as companion Melanie Bush. It is written by Gareth Roberts & Clayton Hickman and directed by Gary Russell.

Big Finish's synopsis:

When the evil Skelloids launch an attack upon the seventeen worlds of the Generios system, its peace-loving inhabitants face total destruction.

So it's fortunate that the famous traveller in time and space known only as the Doctor is in the area, and doubly lucky that, with the help of pretty young assistant, Sally-Anne, he manages to defeat the deadly creatures and save the day.

But now it looks as though the Doctor's luck has run out.

Who is the mysterious, curly-haired stranger who insists on causing trouble? What role does the feisty redhead Melanie play in his scheme? And what have they to do with the sinister alien cylinder approaching Generios?

One thing is certain: for the Doctor and Sally-Anne, there's deadly danger ahead...

Now THIS is what you call a good story! No, it's not exactly Genesis of the Daleks but in it's own way, it's just as good - fun, exciting and entertaining story with LOTS of hilariousness. I can't imagine it working so well for any other Doctor...

The story starts with the Sixth Doctor and Mel... Playing monopoly... Then arriving in the Generios system in the "vulgar" part of time, so far into the future that everybody seems to know everything. Once they get out of the TARDIS, they notice that everybody seems to be celebrating. They soon learn that The Doctor has saved the seventeen planets from evil aliens called the Skelloids. When the Sixth Doctor claims he's never been to Generios, Mel suggests it was a future version of himself but the Sixth Doctor doubts it. Not long after, another invasion happens - this time, it's The Cylinder and he wants the three greatest treasures of Generios. Can this other Doctor, of whom the Sixth Doctor believes to be some kind of imposter, save the day again?

As much as I liked Seasons 22 and 23, this is the Sixth Doctor I would have liked to see on my TV screen - Colin Baker proves to be an amazing actor, despite not being the most popular Doctor. It's also the Melanie Bush I would have liked to see on my TV screen - yes, in this story, she's actually a likable character with some great lines! Top notch acting from everybody involved!

Gareth Roberts and Clayton Hickman are brilliant writers, both of whom have given us some amazing content in The Sarah Jane Adventures. Gary Russell is a fantastic director too.

The setting is interesting, with the jumping from planet to planet trying to collect the three greatest treasures of the Generios system in order to prevent the Cylinder from destroying Generios.

My favourite line is Mel's "Don't talk about giving up because I'm a Bush and Bushes never do!" - It was really inspiring but thanks to all the humour in the story, all it made me think of was the sort of bush you find in gardens.

As I mentioned previously, The One Doctor is a story that's absolutely full of hilariousness. The Jelloid, two Doctors, one of which isn't really The Doctor and so much more. Oh, and some of the music used in the story just makes me feel really happy for some reason!

I would definitely recommend this as a first Big Finish audio, I just can't fault it. Just as good as The Chimes of Midnight, which as I said in the previous review, is just as good as classics like City of Death and The Caves of Androzani. Honestly, when Mel Bush is a good character, you know you're in for a good story.

Overall Rating: 10/10

You can buy The One Doctor for £2.99 download or £5.00 CD here.

Doctor Who: The Chimes Of Midnight Review

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS.

Released in February 2002, The Chimes of Midnight was the 29th Doctor Who audio drama to be released by Big Finish. It stars Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor and India Fisher as companion Charley Pollard. It is written by Robert Shearman and directed by Barnaby Edwards.

Big Finish's synopsis:

"Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring...

But something must be stirring. Something hidden in the shadows. Something which kills the servants of an old Edwardian mansion in the most brutal and macabre manner as possible. Exactly on the chiming of the hour, every hour, as the grandfather clock ticks on towards midnight.

Trapped and afraid, the Doctor and Charley are forced to play detective to murders with no motive, where even the victims don't stay dead. Time is running out.

And time itself might well be the killer..."

This is definitely the best Big Finish audio I've ever listened to. It's scary, exciting, it's everything I want to see in Doctor Who and more. If you thought the Weeping Angels were scary, you've never listened to this...

The story starts with The Doctor and Charley trying to get to Singapore but landing in a scullery which at first glance seems completely empty... Then they notice various things that indicate someone is working in it... Then a murder happens and all the staff think it's suicide, which is what this story revolves around. It also teaches us quite a bit about Charley's past, but I don't want to spoil too much!

Paul McGann and India Fisher both do an amazing job, as do all the other actors. Robert Shearman has written some of the best Big Finish audios such as this, Jubilee and The Holy Terror as well as the Series 1 TV episode Dalek. Barnaby Edwards is also a fantastic director.

The setting (an old Edwardian mansion on Christmas eve) is fantastic - who knew a story set entirely in a house could be so good!?

Despite being 120 minutes long, I don't think there are any parts that feel too slow and I didn't get bored of it once!

My favourite line would have to be "Edward Grove is alive. Together my poppet, we make him so."

If you're already familiar with the Eighth Doctor and Charley Pollard, then I'd certainly recommend this to people trying to get into the audios. Hell, even Steven Moffat has said it's his favourite Eighth Doctor story.

It's things like this that make you realise Paul McGann would have been a fantastic Doctor and while Christopher Eccleston did an amazing job, I've always thought it a huge shame that they didn't ask Paul McGann if he'd like to return in 2005. Still, I'd put The Chimes of Midnight up there with classics like City of Death and The Caves of Androzani.

At it's current price, it's a must buy! Oh, and make sure you listen to it in the dark!

Overall Rating: 10/10

You can buy The Chimes of Midnight for £2.99 download or £5.00 CD here.

Classic Doctor Who TV Hour-ish: The Mind Robber, or The Second Doctor Gets Trippy Right Out Of Reality

      At the end of the preceding serial, The Dominators, a volcanic eruption is set off on the planet of Dulkis. The Mind Robber picks up with the Second Doctor & companions Jamie McCrimmon & Zoe Heriot in the TARDIS as it is being surrounding & slowly swallowed by a river of molten lava, blowing a fluid link (an essential component that provides power to the ship) in the process. Reluctant but out of options, the Doctor employs an emergency unit that is designed to move the TARDIS out of normal time & space, out of reality itself, transporting the TARDIS & crew to the White Void (or just "the Void"). While the Doctor works to repair the fluid link, Jamie & Zoe are lured outside by images seen on the scanner, each seeing their home, where they come in contact with strange White Robots. The Doctor manages to get his companions back on board & they attempt to return to reality. Instead, the TARDIS explodes & scatters the travelers into nothingness.

The Doctor never forgets a face. Except when he does.

     The Doctor, Jamie & Zoe wake up, separated, in a mysterious forest. After facing a series of riddles, the Doctor finds Jamie, who has been turned into a cardboard cutout version of himself, only without a face. Given a mix-and-match selection of eyes, noses & mouths, the Doctor tries to reassemble Jamie's face but ends up changing it instead. (The story behind this was pure genius in my book. Frazer Hines, who played Jamie, had contracted chicken pox & had to quickly be replaced for the second episode. The writers came up with this interesting explanation as to why another actor, Hamish Wilson, had to temporarily step in.) Jamie & The Doctor soon find Zoe, apparently trapped behind a brick wall painted to look like a door. The Doctor solves this riddle as well - "When is a door not a door? When it's ajar (a jar)!" - causing the brick wall/door to dissipate & revealing Zoe trapped in a giant jar.
     The trio soon encounter various fictional characters (such as Lemuel Gulliver, Rapunzel, the Minotaur, Medusa & a unicorn) & discover that they are in  a "Land of Fiction" being run by one that is called "the Master" (not The Master, who would make his first appearance two years after this aired). They are able to escape from the unicorn (Jamie had mentioned in the first episode a dream of being charged & killed by a unicorn), as well as the Minotaur & Medusa, by declaring that the creatures didn't actually exist, which turned the figments of fiction into statues. They eventually find themselves face-to-face with the Master, a kidnapped writer from Earth who faced the same riddles & fictional creatures when he first arrived. He explains that he is getting old & wants to Doctor to replace him as the source of creativity for the Land of Fiction.

The Doctor hooked up to the Master Brain.

The Doctor refuses & tries to escape, while Jamie & Zoe (who had snuck out of the room & into a nearby library while the Doctor & the Master talked) encounter the White Robots again & become trapped in a giant book. The Master hypnotizes the companions into trapping the Doctor, whom he then hooks up to the Master Brain. The Doctor & the Master proceed to battle each other by summoning various fictional characters to fight. The Doctor manages to prevail. He then releases Jamie & Zoe, who overload the Master Brain, leaving the White Robots with only the command to "Destroy". The Doctor unplugs the Master from the Brain & all four of them hide in another room while the White Robots destroy the Master Brain. Then, the TARDIS comes back together & normality is restored.
     The Mind Robber, which was first broadcast in five weekly parts between September 14th & October 12 1968, is the very first Second Doctor serial that I've watched & perhaps the oddest, trippiest Doctor Who episode I've watched yet. I adored the utterly weird first episode, which ended with the TARDIS exploding & was apparently cobbled together rather quickly due to the previous serial being shortened an episode, thus causing this serial to have to be extended by one episode This also resulted in the last episode being the shortest Doctor Who episode to date, clocking at just over 18 minutes, as well as episode 1 being the only episode in the series' history to have no writer's credit. The Land of Fiction was pretty groovy as well; I liked the idea of various riddles & especially the face-changing of Jamie, which didn't feel as if it was a last minute cover for Hines' inability to film. It was interesting, and befitting, that Lemuel Gulliver could only speak in lines written by Jonathan Swift, which seemed to lay down the basic rules of the Land of Fiction. Being a writer myself, the concept of this place intrigued me & I am going to track down the novels & audio dramas where the Land of Fiction is re-visited.
     It's interesting to note that it has been debated whether or not the events in The Mind Robber ever actually occur. When the serial ends, the Master is with the TARDIS crew, yet his absence (along with any of the events of this story) are not remarked upon at the start of the next serial, The Invasion. Its possible the entire escapade was a figment of imagination brought on by the White Void, although that possibility has never been explored.
     Peter Davison, Colin Baker & Matt Smith (or Doctors Five, Six & Eleven) have each stated that the Second Doctor is their favorite, and its terribly easy to see why. Patrick Throughton is a perfect "cosmic bum", equal parts comedy & seriousness, confirming my suspicions that there really is no one "better Doctor" & that each actor has been utterly brilliant in the role. From here on out, anytime someone asks me "Who's your favorite Doctor", my response will forever be "The Doctor".

The Doctor, Zoe & Jamie (here played by stand-in Hamish Wilson) square off against...a unicorn?

Twelfth Doctor "Won't Be The Dashing Young Man He Was A Minute Ago"

The next issue of Doctor Who Magazine will feature interviews with showrunner Steven Moffat and Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor presenter Zoë Ball. It will also feature an exclusive letter from Twelfth Doctor Peter Capaldi.

Here is some of what Moffat has to say:

"The Doctor's always said he’s thousands of years old, and suddenly he’s going to look closer to what we know he secretly is." "He’s going to look like an older man. A fiercer man. He won’t be the dashing young man he was a minute ago, and I think that’ll be rather exciting…"

"He’s always looked like Doctor Who, how has this taken us so long?! Because the moment you say his name, you go ‘Of course!’ Because he’s got the hair, and he’s got the look, he’s brilliant, he’s known to be a fan, of course it’s bloody him!"

Doctor Who Magazine issue 464 goes on sale Thursday 22nd August. Will you be buying it?

Source: BBC Worldwide

It's The Invasion Of The Birthdays!

We would like to wish a happy 70th birthday to Sylvester McCoy who played the Seventh Doctor from 1987-89, 51st birthday to Sophie Aldred who played companion Ace from 1987-89 and would-be 80th birthday to Anthony Ainley who played The Master from 1981-89.

Sylvester McCoy starred in the following stories:
Time and the Rani
Paradise Towers
Delta and the Bannermen
Dragonfire
Remembrance of the Daleks
The Happiness Patrol
Silver Nemesis
The Greatest Show in the Galaxy
Battlefield
Ghost Light
The Curse of Fenric
Survival

Doctor Who: The Movie (first 20 minutes)

Sophie Aldred starred in the following stories:
Dragonfire
Remembrance of the Daleks
The Happiness Patrol
Silver Nemesis
The Greatest Show in the Galaxy
Battlefield
Ghost Light
The Curse of Fenric
Survival

Anthony Ainley appeared in the following stories:
The Keeper of Traken
Logopolis
Castrovalva
Time-Flight
The King's Demons
The Five Doctors
Planet of Fire
The Mark of the Rani
The Ultimate Foe
Survival

Which of these stories is your favourite?

Fifty Years Of Doctor Who At The BBC Audio CD Set

This Doctor Who audio collection entitled Fifty Years of Doctor Who at the BBC will be released on 3rd October in the UK.

This audio CD set features over 17 hours of features from BBC radio and television - from the 1960's to present day. It is presented by Elisabeth Sladen, Anthony Head and Louise Jameson.

Features:
Volume 1: 30 Years and More
Volume 2: In the Hot Seat
Volume 3: Now and Then
Volume 4: The Plays
Volume 5: Project Who?
Volume 6: The Tenth Doctor
Volume 7: A Legend Reborn
Volume 8: Lost Treasures

Includes content from Blue Peter, Woman's Hour, Today, Pete Murray's Open House, Nationwide, Newsbeat, I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, Dead Ringers, The Now Show, Week Ending, PM and many more. Also features Freema Agyeman, Tom Baker, John Barrowman, Phil Collinson, Russell T. Davies, Peter Davison, Christopher Eccleston, Janet Fielding, Carole Ann Ford, Julie Gardner, Karen Gillan, Michael Grade, Anthony Head, Louise Jameson, John Leeson, Sylvester McCoy, Paul McGann, Kylie Minogue, Steven Moffat, John Nathan-Turner, Terry Nation, Jon Pertwee, Billie Piper, Elisabeth Sladen, Matt Smith, Sarah Sutton, Mary Tamm, Catherine Tate, David Tennant, Patrick Troughton, Lalla Ward, Matthew Waterhouse, and many, many more. Also includes the full-cast radio plays Regenerations by Daragh Carville, Blue Sands and Golden Veils by Martyn Wade and Dalek I Love You by Colin Sharpe, plus an extended version of BBC Radio 2's 2005 documentary Project Who?

RRP: £100.00
Pre-order here!

Doctor Who Magazine Issue 464 Cover

The cover of Doctor Who Magazine issue 464 has been revealed and here it is! This issue will be available starting 22nd August. What do you think of it?

Source: @DrWho247

Neil Cross To Return For Series 8

Writer of Doctor Who Series 7 episodes The Rings of Akhaten and Hide, Neil Cross, has revealed that he will be writing atleast one episode for Series 8.

In an interview with Stuff, he said:

"I am going back, I have got story ideas tucked away, but if I told you about them I would have to kill you. There's a whole bunch of stuff I want to do. Steven is clearly very busy with the 50th anniversary special and Christmas special, but I have to find out from Steven what his intentions for The Doctor are and what sort of stories he wants me to write."

Personally, I enjoyed both of his previous episodes and I look forward to seeing what he does for Series 8.

Top 5 Spin-off Villains I Want To See In Doctor Who

Over the years, Doctor Who has spawned three spin-offs - Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventures and the failed K9 & Company. They have had lots of villains who have never appeared in Doctor Who so I'm going to be listing five of those villains that I'd like to see in Doctor Who...

#5. Weevils

Alright, these things had a cameo in The Pandorica Opens as part of The Alliance but I don't consider that to be a "real" appearance considering the amount of others there. They're considerably more violent than the typical Doctor Who villain so that might be a problem but seriously, they'd make hiding behind the sofa cool again!

#4. Androvax / The Veil

Androvax is another one that's been mentioned in Doctor Who (Pond Life). He is a Veil (a species capable of taking over bodies) who appeared in two episodes of The Sarah Jane Adventures. I think it would be interesting to see him take over The Doctor's body...

#3. Bilis Manger

Now, this guy is the creepiest human villain ever. Actually, he might be the creepiest villain ever. He's appeared twice in Torchwood and we still have no idea who he is. Maybe it's best that way, maybe it's not. Still, after what he did in End of Days, I think the chances of seeing him in a family show are zero.

#2. The 456

Forget Bilis Manger, there are MUCH creepier things in the world... And I mean MUCH creepier! The Doctor should be very, very, very happy he hasn't bumped into them so far and that's all I'm going to say.

#1. The Trickster

The Tenth Doctor has met this thing before in The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith but that wasn't a Doctor Who episode so let's just leave it at that.. All three SJA episodes that The Trickster has appeared in are just as good as, let's say, The Empty Child, Midnight or Turn Left. Yes, that good! Despite SJA being targeted at a younger audience, this thing is really menacing and he honestly feels like a Doctor Who villain. Gareth Roberts, you did an amazing job!

Of course, this is just my opinion and you're free to disagree with it. I'd love to know which spin-off villains you want to see in Doctor Who!