Update to the Doctor Who Bar Duke Box

Just a quick update 1 and all. The audio session that was going to run tomorrow evening has been moved to Monday at 8.pm play time. Bar will open at 7.45 pm.

all times in British Summer Time (BST).

Take care all and hope to see you all there.

Five Reasons to Watch 'Fear Her'... and Enjoy It!

Fear Her has quite a distinguished reputation in the Whoniverse. Fandom generally perceives it as the wooden spoon, the pits, the dregs, the standard by which all 'bad' Who should be measured, (some subsequent stories have been awarded the unfortunate accolades of Fear Her Part 2 and Fear Her Part 3...) But is this torrent of negativity justified? Is there no good to be found in this quirky little number from 2006? If you sense a little reluctance every time you reach for that season two box set, here's a few reasons why you should give the lonely Isolus one more chance...

1) "Not you too, Bob...!"

Almost everyone loves the Olympics, (even me, the least sporty person in the world!) Fear Her is set against the backdrop of the London 2012 Olympic Games, and adds some wonderful (and unique) moments to the Who canon. Who didn't punch the air when the Doctor swooped in to retrieve the torch from the fallen athlete? And what's not to like about Huw Edwards' questionable, yet highly amusing, performance as the BBC commentator?
 

2) "I was a dad once..."

The Doctor and Rose's scene in the TARDIS is a historical one, because it is the first time the Doctor has ever admitted he was a father. Did this finally end the debate as to whether Susan Foreman was his biological granddaughter...? I love the fact that this game-changing revelation was slipped, so sublimely, into a good old-fashioned "romp." It's worth watching the ep for this scene alone.

3) "Cake...?"

One of the things that makes the episode - and the closing scene in particular - is Murray Gold's amazing score, conveying all the hope, joy and love that's prevalent in Fear Her, such as Rose's love for the Doctor, and the Isolus' love for Chloe Webber. It really makes that simple moment on a housing estate look, and feel, like the stuff of a Hollywood feature. It's just a shame that piece didn't make it on to the official soundtrack. An outrage!

 4) "Put it in a big book about tarmacing..."

An oft-forgotten player in the Fear Her saga. Kel the tarmacer, played by Abdul Salis, turns in a wonderfully comical performance as the eccentric man from the council. His scene with Rose, in which he declares the magnificence of his beautifully smooth tarmacadam, is amusingly written and very well acted. Nice one.  

5) "If living things can become drawings, then maybe drawings can become living things..."

This episode would probably have frightened the life out of me had I watched it as a kid. Fear Her is quintessential Who, harking back to the shop window dummies from Spearhead from Space and the troll doll from Terror of the Autons. The idea that something very ordinary and real can suddenly become a major threat is the stuff of nightmares. Although the idea isn't as well executed as it could have been, (owing to the constraints of time and money), I think the concept deserves an appreciative nod.

Really, Fear Her struggles from the fact that it was written at the last minute, (with virtually nothing in the way of sets, budget, or CGI to help it along), and that it lives in the shadow of the epic two-part finale that followed, (featuring Daleks, Cybermen, Torchwood, Rose's departure AND Catherine Tate no less!) There is much to enjoy in those 43 minutes, and whilst it may never be anyone's Desert Island Who, there's something oddly reassuring about it... If this is as "bad" as the new series can get, then, really, we have nothing to worry about.   

Alex Skerratt

Introducing The Doctor Who Bar Dukebox

I'm writing to promote a small experiment I am running for the bar this coming Monday.

On Monday at 8.00 pm BST I am hosting the first experimental session of the Doctor Who Bar Dukebox (name probably to change in future) this session will be focusing rather than on a televisual story but that of an audio story. Rather than loading your DVD, iTunes or time space visualiser. we will be listening and discussing one of the many many many Doctor Who Audio stories produced by many different companies over the years. As its the first in the session and somewhat of an introduction, we shall be listening to the first ever Big Finish release. "The Sirens of Time" Starring Doctor number's 5, 6 and 7, released way back in 1999. you can partake in this session by either listening via use of a CD if you own it or Big Finish now offer sales of just downloads if you don't have the story.

I do hope to see you all there on Monday, but until then may you all live well. Take care.

Further Missing Episode Rumours

So if the BBC and T.I.E.A (Television International Enterprises Archives) thought the statements they released last week would put the rumours to bed then they were mistaken.

The latest I have seen from someone on a forum I occasionally visit has said Philip Morris is currently in Hong Kong negotiating for 2 episodes of the Wheel In Space. This person cites Caroline Skinner as his source for this information.

As I have said previously this person has been saying for months about the missing episodes being in existence and I am sceptical but do not disbelief him.

He advised yesterday morning to keep an eye on Bleeding Cool again.

Now Bleeding Cool did indeed make a post yesterday where they say the latest rumour is "a teaser trailer for one of the Missing Episodes, now returned, will appear on the end of September’s release of Doctor Who: Terror Of The Zygons DVD."

They go on to say "The rumour stands that whoever hold the films wants the films to be properly treated, with full restoration, the use of vidFIRE and the like, while BBC Worldwide wanted to release them quickly in the format they arrived in. And that has caused the delay, in negotiation and release.

Contracts have, however, been agreed with all concerned parties for BBC Worldwide for the return and release of Marco Polo, Enemy Of The World and Web Of Fear missing episodes. This would account for seventeen missing episodes, verified and in releasable condition.

But to the rest of the reported returned ninety missing episodes? They’re on hold for now. As are the many episodes that the BBC already hold, but that could exist in better condition in this recovered cache."

The Full article can be viewed here: Bleeding Cool Missing Ep on Zygon DVD Rumour

We will try and keep you updated when more information on this story emerges.

Missing Episodes Update

The Radio Times have tried to get to the bottom of this.

A BBC Spokeswoman issued a statement about saying:

“There are always rumours and speculation about Doctor Who missing episodes being discovered - however we cannot confirm any new finds,”.

The Radio Times asked them to clarify this and were told “We can’t confirm because it’s not true as far a I’m aware,”.

Asked if they were talking to Philip Morris of Television International Enterprises Archives who say they are the “world’s foremost archive recovery company” she replied “I don’t think so?”

So there are no episodes? “Not as far as we know.”

So that seemed as if the BBC would neither confirm or deny this.

A statement has now been released on Facebook by Philip Morris.

T.I.E.A. does not hold any missing episodes of the long-running Dr Who series. The original videotapes were wiped [and] subsequent film copies were either returned to the BBC [or] sent to landfill. Odd fragments have surfaced - two episodes on 16mm film - but that's it. The programmes in question, like many others, were destroyed as they had no further commercial value. They are not missing but destroyed. The end.

I am sorry if this upsets some people but these are the facts.

I have also become aware of the tracking of some of our clients' shipments. These are local cultural materials sent to us for migration to a modern format as the playback equipment in the country of origin no longer exists and as such is the best road to preserve international cultural heritage.

I will be making no more statements on this subject.

Philip Morris, Executive Director, T.I.E.A.

So this appears to be the last word on the subject. This rumour is something I have been hearing for a couple of months now. The person that told me said they had seen proof.

Now I have no reason to disbelief them but I am sceptical until I see proof or we have an announcement to confirm the existence of these.

We will keep you updated when we hear more.

Missing episodes might be found?

So... I go away from the world of Sci-Fi for a few days and come back to find lost episodes might be found. According to the site Bleeding Cool, not one not even two, but a mass stock of missing episodes from the 60s have been discovered in Africa in a stash kept by an engineer from the time. At the moment this is all speculation from Bleeding Cool but they do say they have two good sources. From reading articles it would seem that one of the recovered stories is the remaining episodes of  Evil of the Daleks.  In my mind the best Dalek story out there. I can only hope that this does come to something rather than shattering all our dreams. As soon as anything comes out to either deny or confirm these stories I will let you guys know.

Breaking News: Matt Smith to leave Doctor Who

The BBC has announced that actor Matt Smith is to leave Doctor Who at Christmas.  He has just recently completed filming the Doctor Who Fiftieth Anniversary Special, where he stars alongside David Tennant and John Hurt.   He will make one more episode, the 2013 Christmas Special before he bows out by regenerating into the Twelfth Doctor.

Matt Smith said: "Doctor Who has been the most brilliant experience for me as an actor and a bloke, and that largely is down to the cast, crew and fans of the show. I'm incredibly grateful to all the cast and crew who work tirelessly every day, to realise all the elements of the show and deliver Doctor Who to the audience. Many of them have become good friends and I'm incredibly proud of what we have achieved over the last four years. 

Having Steven Moffat as show runner write such varied, funny, mind bending and brilliant scripts has been one of the greatest and most rewarding challenges of my career. It's been a privilege and a treat to work with Steven, he's a good friend and will continue to shape a brilliant world for the Doctor.

The fans of Doctor Who around the world are unlike any other; they dress up, shout louder, know more about the history of the show (and speculate more about the future of the show) in a way that I've never seen before, your dedication is truly remarkable. Thank you so very much for supporting my incarnation of the Time Lord, number Eleven, who I might add is not done yet, I'm back for the 50th anniversary and the Christmas special!

It's been an honour to play this part, to follow the legacy of brilliant actors, and helm the TARDIS for a spell with 'the ginger, the nose and the impossible one'. But when ya gotta go, ya gotta go and Trenzalore calls. Thank you guys. Matt."

Matt Smith arrived in Doctor Who in the second part of The End of Time broadcast on New Years Day 2010.  He has stayed with the show for three years, which ironically is the duration many of the lead actors of the original Doctor Who series remained with the programme.

Everyone here at the Doctor Who Bar wishes Matt Smith all the best for the future.

However as to the future of Doctor Who itself, just who will be taking over when Matt leaves?  Ben Daniels has been mentioned.  We won't find out until Christmas. :-)

Happy Birthday River

Today the 31^st May 2013 is in WHO fandom the birthday of a character that for some splits us as a collective down the middle. Yes of course I’m talking of Professor River Song. Love her or hate her you cannot deny that the Moff man has well and truly made a mark by introducing a, for some, brilliant and new loved character to thicken the plot or at least back in 2008 it did. And for others introduce a character who really does your Swede in with all her smarmy flirty nonsense. But I digress. River is an example of several companions (if you class her as a companion) who has a love or hate relationship with the fans. In this blog entry I have chosen 3 fans that personally I love and another 3 that personally I hate. Before I begin well and true I apologize now if I offend anyone with my choices. But as some might say “thems the breaks.” Firstly I think I’ll get my least favorites out the way. 

Dorothea Dodo Chaplet - Dodo for me is an incredibly horrid creation of a character created for the first Doctors time. Her original use was as an every day girl to be whisked off to fantastical adventures in time and space. Introduced at the end of The Massacre when she mistook the TARDIS for an actual police box she ran in looking to call the police because she’d witnessed something iffy going on. In this first scene and the first episode or so of The Ark she used a regional accent. But funny enough the prim and proper BBC of the day didn’t like this and made her speak with the normal for those days RP accent. I was willing to let the accent issue go for a while but theres only so many times that you can stand hearing her wine “but Doctor?” “how Doctor?” and of course “Steven looooook”. If I’m gonna be honest I was thrilled when she was booted out of the show without even a proper goodbye scene in The War Machines. I’m sure if the writing staff had considered even a smidgen of character development I may have liked her some what more but nope nothing about her past or anything important to make us as fans like her. But anyways that's Dodo, lets jaunt on to my next least liked companion.

Adric - ah poor Adric of course joined the TARDIS during State of Decay and left in quite frankly the brilliant Earthshock. He was really a bit of a wet blanket wasn’t he? All he seemed to do was moan, trip and hurt his ankle, moan a bit more and then storm off for a jolly good sulk. However he did have one redeeming feature. That of his death. In TV history he was only the 3^rd companion to die after Katarina The Daleks Masterplan and Sara Kingdom also Masterplan. His way of death causing the destruction of the Cybermen on the space freighter and then crashing into the Earth is a pretty epic way to go if you ask me. When he joined he was meant to be a bit of a maths wiz kid but he couldn’t stand up on his own when on the TARDIS you had the Doctor himself an all round genius, Nyssa, again a bit of a clever clogs who also was a bit of a looker :) and Tegan, not really that clever yes but by heck she could definitely give the most frightening of space monsters a good yelling and telling off.

Amy Pond - yes I know she’s really only just left but I really cannot stand her. All she seemed to do was yell a bit and try and get off with the Doctor. If I were Rory I’d have shown her the door years ago. Yes she was head strong and had some brains I guess, when it came down to it was a bit of a tart who really didn’t care much for her own husband and kept trying to get some action from her 1100 year old son in law. What the Moff man was thinking when she was created I’ll never know.

Right after those 3 lets get on to the companions that I did like. Starting with:

Romana - introduced in The Ribos Operation played by the late great Mary Tamm and then after her frankly bonkers regeneration by the wonderful Lalla Ward.  Romana was what a companion should be. Not just a screaming shouty girl with no brains and a big buzzom. No, no Romana was brains, looks and a general brilliant assistant for the Doctor. She played off his eccentricity and  wasn’t afraid to correct him when he was wrong about something. I’m glad with Romana that when Big Finish started their audio plays, she was and is featured in some of them. Also its nice to see how the Doctor copes with a fellow Time Lord on board.

Wilfred Mott - you're probably thinking “waaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh?” but yes I think Wilf was a brilliant character and I always thought that yes even though he is an old man he had a boyish air about him when the 10^th Doctor was about. They played off each other so well and it was truly brilliant to see how pained the Doctor was when he realized that it was Wilf’s fault he would have to regenerate. I always think that a meeting of Wilf and the 11^th Doctor would be fun to see.

Jamie McCrimmon - Jamie joined in the 2^nd Doctor’s 2^nd story The Highlanders and stayed with him right up until the end of The War Games. I always thought Jamie was great, his and the 2^nd Doctors chemistry was and is such a great thing to watch. A fine example of this is at the start of Tomb of the Cybermen. Jamie taken from the 18^th century came round to things quickly and always had something to say. I think that a primary male companion needs to be re-introduced, because when it was done in the 60s it worked, and I think it could work again today.

So there you have it, 6 companions half of which I don’t care for and 3 of which I do. Its been a nice little thing to write and has been a nice way to break my blogging mad head :). Its been nice to write for you all and I hope you enjoy this blog entry. I’ve been Legeon and I hope to write more blog entries in the future and also host some sessions for the Bar. But for now take care all.

News: Series Finale in Distribution Error

Doctor Who fans in the United States are being urged to keep the plot of this Saturday's finale The Name of the Doctor secret after DVD boxsets of the current series were distributed early in error. BBC Worldwide has said that a small number of fans had been sent pre-ordered DVD boxsets three weeks early. BBC Worldwide has asked those with the DVD Series Seven Part Two boxset not to reveal plot details of the shows finale ahead of it's terrestrial showing.

Steven Moffat, Doctor Who's head writer and Executive Producer promised footage of current Doctor, actor Matt Smith with his predecessor David Tennant if everyone keeps tight lipped about the finales secrets.

"A small number of US Doctor Who fans have received their Series Seven Part Two DVD three weeks early," BBC Worldwide said in an issued statement.

"We are asking fans who may have the discs not to divulge plot details so that fellow fans who have yet to see the episodes do not have their viewing pleasure ruined."

BBC Worldwide is currently investigating how the boxsets were distributed so early.

This Saturday's episode of the hit BBC One show, The Name of the Doctor which is written by Steven Moffat, comes ahead of a Fiftieth Anniversary 3D special, due to air on 23 November 2013.

David Tennant and Billie Piper, who played Rose Tyler, are among those who will guest star.

Tennant starred in Doctor Who from 2005 to 2010, while Billie Piper first appeared in 2005 in the very first New Series episode opposite Christopher Eccleston, who played the Ninth Doctor.

Spoilers: Series Finale News

The episode title of the current series finale has been released from the BBC and it's an epic one everyone.

The episode is called The Name of the Doctor and his most endearing secret will finally be revealed in this exciting episode when it airs in a few weeks time on Saturday 18th May!

The episode is written by Steven Moffat and directed by Saul Metzstein, and as you can see from the officially sanctioned poster, will see the return of Alex Kingston as River Song.  It is also rumoured that the events of this particular episode which will feature the fields of Trensalore, will lead into the Fiftieth Anniversary special which is currently being shot.

So hang on to your hat's everyone as Doctor Who continues on BBC One!

UPDATE: Many fans have had a negative reaction to the title of the last episode. Other fans are speculating this will finish the River Song arc and the audience will not find out the name of the Doctor.

DWBarOZ

Hi all,
To those who have been taking part in #DWBarOZ broadcasts recently, we are sorry that the Bar tonight did not go ahead. There were technical problems with the account beyond my control. Hopefully we will be back next week with the 8:30pm (adelaide time) episode Hide.

Spoilers: Fiftieth Anniversary Special News

The BBC has announced one of the villains taking part in the Anniversary Special, which is currently being filmed.  As you can see Tom Baker's most iconic villain the Zygons are to return since their last appearance in Terror of the Zygons.

In addition both David Tennant and Billie Piper are to reprise their starring roles as the Doctor and Rose.  The picture below is of David and Matt at the read through of the Anniversary Special.

So just Who else is coming back!  As a former Doctor Who Producer once said, Stay Tuned!