Cold War

Doctor Who meets The Hunt for Red October. A very traditional, base under siege story. Great to (finally!) have the Ice Warriors back (all we need now is the Zygons - oops, spoilers!) and the great David Warner finally makes an appearance. And the HADS reference had me laughing out loud. Loved every minute of it. And with the preview for next weeks episode (Hide) it looks like we're heading into scary "Blink" territory.

The Rings of Akhaten

" I walked away from the Last Great Time War. I marked the passing of the Time Lords. I saw the birth of the universe, and I watched as time ran out, moment by moment, until nothing remained. No time, no space – just me. I've walked in universes where the laws of physics were devised by the mind of a madman. I've watched universes freeze and creations burn. I have seen things you wouldn't believe. I have lost things you will never understand. And I know things. Secrets that must never be told, knowledge that must never be spoken, knowledge that will make parasite gods blaze! So, come on, then! Take it! Take it all, baby! Have it! You have it all!"

When the final history of Doctor Who is written (in many years time I hope), this will be one of the hidden gems. And Murray Gold really pulled out all the stops with the music. This is one soundtrack I'd love to hear performed live.

Memories of BBC Television Centre

Last Sunday the BBC Television Centre in West London closed it's door for the final time; the BBC having, controversially,  sold the building off for redevelopment (studios 1 to 3 will survive, but studios 4 to 7 are to be demolished and the rest of the building turned into "affordable housing" and hotels. The fate of studio 8 is currently unknown). Over the last fifty years it's been home to not just classic series Doctor Who but many other TV series too numerous to list here. Everything that was great about British television was probably made here.

There's been a number of tributes to the building popping up on YouTube but this one, by Doctor Who DVD producer Ed Stadling is probably the best.

If you want to know more of the history of Television Centre and what the future holds I refer you to Martin Kempton's website An Incomplete History of London's Television Studios. It also has histories of the other three studios where classic Doctor Who was filmed: Lime Grove, Riverside and Ealing Film Studios.

(Because I'm having trouble getting Blogger to find the video in YouTube the link to it is below)

http://youtu.be/ozdjrrIpXT8

The Bells of Saint John

" That wasn’t a leaf. That was page one"

Well, that was fun. A little like The Idiot's Lantern with a wonderful twist at the end (which I won't spoil here). The interplay between the Doctor and Clara was great but I thought the Spoonheads were a little underwhelming. There were some great little touches too like the kid's book being written by one Amelia Williams. And a very familiar looking scarf hanging in the hallway of Clara's house.

While not in the same league as last years opener it was still a fun episode. And it's always great the have the Doctor back.

Doctor Who and the Daleks

"The mysterious Doctor and his grandaughter Susan are joined by unwilling adventurers Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright in an epic struggle for survival on an alien planet.

In a vast metal city they discover the survivors of a terrible nuclear war - the Daleks. Held captive in the deepest levels of the city, can the Doctor and his new companions stop the Daleks' plan to totally exterminate their mortal enemies, the peace-loving Thals? More importantly, even if they can escape from the Daleks, will Ian and Barbara ever see their home planet Earth again?"

This was the book that started it all. Originally published in November 1964 (around the tine Doctor Who's second series was starting, and just before the Daleks made their second appearance in The Dalek Invasion of Earth), not only was it the first novelisation published (along with Doctor Who and the Crusaders - also by David Whittaker - and Doctor Who and the Zarbi - aka The Web Planet) but was also the first book published when Target Books began publishing Doctor Who book in 1973 (an association that would continue for twenty years). I have to admit I only recently read it but in another first, not in print form but as an ebook.

In his introduction to this volume, Neil Gaiman points out just how important the novelisations were. And while what happened on the page was sometimes wildly different from what happened on screen (and in this case) back in the days before home video and DVD the novels were the only way you could enjoy the Doctor's adventures again and again.

And for the story itself? It's essentially a faithful retelling of the first Dalek story with a few differences, some minor (the glass Dalek  for example - Davros about then years early?) and some major (with An Unearthly Child not being published until the early eighties, Whittaker comes up with a new introductory scene for main characters). Also Whittaker uses the first person narrative so the whole story is told from Ian's perspective which means a lot of events from the TV series are left out. While it's a little dry in parts Doctor Who and the Daleks, like the TV episodes that inspired it, is one of the most important books ever published beginning a series that lasts to this day.

"I am the Doctor... and I am afraid!"

Cybermen! Ice Warriors (at last)! Clara! And the Doctor's what?

Series 7.2 kicks off on Saturday night (BBC1)/Sunday night (ABC1). Here's a preview.

The Reign of Terror

"The events will happen, just as they are written. I'm afraid so, and we can't stem the tide. But at least we can stop being carried away with the flood!"

This is the first time I've seen The Reign of Terror. It's one of those stories with episodes missing (in this case the fourth and fifth) so it's never likely to get re-screened on TV. For this realise the missing episodes have been recreated using animation, only the second time the range has tried this (the first being the Troughton story The Invasion). While I didn't think the animation itself was terribly successful in parts, it's great that the medium is being used to complete the missing stories. I understand the part four of The Tenth Planet is the next story to undergo this process. I guess they're only using for stories where most of the episodes exist, but I'd love it if it was used for stories such as Marco Polo, The Dalek's Master Plan, etc. It wouldn't be the same as seeing the originally broadcast episodes but at least we'd have a complete run of Doctor Who that way.

As for the story itself it's okay, probably typical of the Hartnell era. I understood it to be the first of the comedy historical (after the majesty of Marco Polo and the Shakespearean tragedy of The Aztecs) but it wasn't quiet what I was expecting though. But still enjoyable.