Return to the 11th Hour convention update

The Doctor Who convention Return to the 11th Hour, taking place in the UK in June, has updated details for the three day event. Karen Gillan (Amy Pond) will now be appearing on Saturday June 29 (moved from the previously announced June 30 date). Catherine Tate (Donna Noble) will be signing autographs, taking part in photo sessions and an interview panel on June 30. This is Tate's first EVER convention appearance. Check out the line-up of brilliant guests from June 28-30 at the Hilton Metropole Hotel, Birmingham:

Catherine Tate (Donna Noble) | Karen Gillan (Amy Pond)
David Bradley (Dinosaurs On A Spaceship)

Neve McIntosh (Vastra) | Simon Fisher-Becker (Dorium Maldovar)

Caitlin Blackwood (Amelia Pond) | Anamaria Marinca  (Asylum of the Daleks)

Spencer Wilding (Cold War, The God Complex, The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe)

BUY TICKETS HERE

Last year, Starfury organised the excellent conventions: The 11th Hour with Matt Smith (review HERE) and Midnight with David Tennant and Billie Piper.

Buy tickets for Return to the 11th Hour HERE

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Doctor Who Pop-Up Shop Materialises in Australia

BBC Worldwide have announced a treat for Doctor Who fans in Australia in the form of a "Pop-Up Shop", details below:

A Doctor Who fan’s paradise will land in Sydney this Autumn with the first ever Doctor Who pop-up shop opening its doors on Thursday 9th May at 7 Wilson Street, Newtown. The Doctor Who pop-up shop is the first of its kind and will feature exclusive merchandise not currently available in Australian stores including the Doctor Who home range, which boasts a selection of stylish teapots, mugs, tea towels, notebooks, laptop covers and more.

With the upcoming 50th anniversary on November 23rd fans can equip themselves for this landmark event with women’s apparel from the US, men’s t-shirts from the UK and replica props and coats from the UK and Canada. Also on offer will be the popular range of toys, gifts, DVDs and books that Australian fans love and as a special treat fans will have the opportunity to have their photo taken in-store with a Dalek and a replica TARDIS.

To mark this special event fans are invited to dress up as their favourite Doctor Who characters to celebrate the store opening on Thursday 9th May at 10am and a small gift will be given to the first 20 fans to arrive in costume. The pop-up shop will be landing in Newtown for a short time only and just like the TARDIS who knows where it may land next.

Thanks to BBC Worldwide

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David Tennant in The Politician's Husband

The BBC has released promotional pictures of David Tennant from the third episode of the BBC Two drama, The Politician's Husband - click on the images here for bigger versions. The second installment airs this Thursday whilst the the third airs on May 9.

Thanks to BBC Pictures

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The Crimson Horror promo pics

The BBC has released promotional pictures from this week's Doctor Who episode, The Crimson Horror - click on the images included here for bigger versions. The Mark Gatiss story is the 100th episode of Doctor Who since its restart in 2005 and airs on May 4 in the UK and North America and the following day in Poland, South Africa and Australia.

Featured in the pics are Matt Smith, Jenna-Louise Coleman, Diana Rigg (Mrs Gillyflower), Ada (Rachel Stirling), Neve McIntosh (Vastra) and Dan Starkey (Strax). Visit the episode section for more clips, pics and news HERE.

Thanks to BBC Pictures

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Doctor Who on "Vicious"

New ITV1 "sitcom" Vicious, starring Ian McKellen (The Snowmen) and Derek Jacobi (Utopia), started airing tonight on the channel and featured a Doctor Who reference - watch it in the player below.

Next week's episode also features numerous references to the show.

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Matt & Jenna talk S7 finale

Current TARDIS occupants Matt Smith and Jenna-Louise Coleman have been talking about the Doctor Who Series 7 finale, The Name of the Doctor, to the BBC. Discussing the villains of the piece, The Whispermen, Matt describes them as "a modern day classic with a brilliant style.  They’re truly terrifying!" whilst Jenna adds they are the "best baddies! I really think they are going to become another Moffat classic." 

Regarding the plot of The Name of the Doctor, Smith teases: "With the 50th [anniversary], this is going to be by far the biggest year in the history of the show. And the finale is just the start. It focuses on a pivotal moment in the Doctor’s life and the life of his companion. It’s a complete game changer and it all starts now."

Whilst Coleman states, "There are little bits and pieces, which Steven [Moffat] planted a couple of years ago. It’s just really clever and a crucial moment in the Doctor’s life that you get to explore," and on the topic of Clara and her impossibleness, the actress says, "All I can say is that Clara hasn’t just met the Doctor three times before..."

 

Visit The Name of the Doctor episode section for more news, pics & clips HERE

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The Blogtor Who Top 50 - No. 31

Here it is! Blogtor's personal countdown of his 50 favourite Doctor Who television stories, one a week till the big day in November 2013. Now, just to point out, this choice is purely my own. So don't expect reasoned debate or objectivity. Or even the need to please every fan out there. This is my list, and I stand by it. I will also add that I've seen every Doctor Who story released (at least twice), so I feel like I know what I'm talking about. Anyway, enough chittle of the chattle, let's begin...

THE GIRL WHO WAITED
First broadcast 10/09/11 starring Matt Smith

This beautiful episode was most definitely one of the highlights, if not the highlight, from the sixth series all those years ago back in 2011. It was a minimalist treat with no guest stars (not in the flesh anyway) and saw a triumph on the direction and production front with a terrifically timey-wimey story and a wonderful performance from leading lady, Karen Gillan.

Doctor Who can be truly amazing and original when it takes on time travel and its ramifications (though, oddly, stories with "time" in the title, in general, tend to be less than well-received) and Tom MacRae's story of parallel time streams was exquisitely simple as we watched Amy ripped apart from her boys, Rory and the other bloke, forced to live out a life alone and battling the menacing Handbots.

The Handbots were a magnificent addition to the Doctor Who canon of robots, utterly chilling despite their helpful demeanour. And what a fantastic design, so elegant - much like the whole episode itself, evoking films like A Space Odyssey (complete with creepily friendly computer voices) and the other George Lucas sci-fi flick, THX 1138. Designer Michael Pickwoad certainly put in a shift-and-a-half on this one and, along with director Nick Hurran, performed the magnificent task of making simplicity utterly gorgeous yet terrifying at the same time.

Hurran's direction on Who, as we've seen more than once, has an eye all to itself. His visual approach is always welcome; using unusual shots, motion and speed to highlight the tension - not to mention the use of some neat Star Wars-esque wipes. Best of all is the "in camera" effect of the room changing time streams early on in the episode. Again simple, but massively effective.

Before I get to the denouement and the more serious tones of the plot, there are some delightful lighter moments to appreciate such as The Doctor and Rory mucking around with the Time Glass (itself a great invention) giving Matt Smith and Arthur Darvill much to play with. The latter gets even more laughs as he has to deal with older Amy and her robot Rory "duplicate" (a device that also suggests other questions I shan't address here).

The ending is a kicker. A very powerful and emotional kicker. I must confess, on first viewing I did wonder if the older Amy would, in fact, end up traveling in the TARDIS (now that would have been odd - but interesting). But her expulsion from their lives, and indeed her own, showed a nastier side to The Doctor than we're used to. Amy might not have died in "reality", but it really felt like she did.

The Girl Who Waited is both a beautifully told and realised story. Between them, writer MacRae and director Hurran produced intelligent Doctor Who art; a very science-fictiony episode for mind and heart.


See Nos. 50-32 HERE

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The Crimson Horror - BBC America trail

BBC America have released a trail for the next Doctor Who episode, The Crimson Horror - watch it in the player above. The Mark Gatiss story is the 100th episode of Doctor Who since its restart in 2005 and airs on May 4 in the UK and North America and the following day in Poland, South Africa and Australia. Visit the episode section for more clips, pics and news HERE.

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BOOK REVIEW: Shroud of Sorrow

Shroud of Sorrow

by Tommy Donbavand

Review by Emrys Matthews

Shroud of Sorrow is one of the latest of the new series adventures novels, and the first to feature Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor with Jenna-Louise Coleman’s Clara Oswald.

Set on a date that may be familiar to some, November 23rd, 1963 the day after the assassination of American President John F Kennedy, faces of the dead are emerging from the most unusual places. A late father in the mist, a dead grandmother in a coffee stain, a long-lost partner in the raindrops on a window pane. The Shroud has fallen and has begun to feast on the grief of a world in mourning. Can the Doctor and Clara save the day before it’s too late?

Shroud of Sorrow is by new~to~Who writer Tommy Donbavand who blasts on to the scene with this wonderful story. Donbavand’s plotting feels like a wonderful combination between Russell T Davies’ emotionally driven stories, Steven Moffat’s well observed scary/cerebral tales, Douglas Adams’ brilliantly ridiculous works (as an example here - a dimensionally transcendental clown car) with the clever yet non-detracting classic references of Gareth Roberts. He has managed to take all the successes and familiarity of the above writers’ styles whilst maintaining an original edge proving that he really gets Doctor Who.

The story is first class. The eerie Shroud, who feed on negative emotions make an excellent adversary for the Doctor and the setting and date give the whole piece an extra kick. There is a clever style throughout that remind one of the movie Crash (2004) where all strands and characters however estranged neatly tie together by the end. I really don’t want to give away any spoilers but it’s safe to say there are some truly unlikely and unexpected twists and turns and lots of inspired references to previous episodes of Doctor Who throughout.

The real advantage in this format is the length of these novels. Unlike the current series there is no prescribed time frame which really enables the story to move at a slower, more engaging pace and allows more time to develop characters and plot lines. It’s like new Who with a classic series structure. Donbavand has excellently captured the Eleventh Doctor and Clara’s dialogue and mannerisms to the point where one can practically see them. This first-time Who writer has done a bang-up job with his debut, leaving one eager for a follow up. If his work is consistently of this caliber he should certainly be given a chance to write for the TV series. This story itself would make an excellent episode for the TV series with a little pruning or possibly as a two-parter.

Shroud of Sorrow succeeds at nearly every turn and is a tale that truly lives up to the high expectations of the 50th Anniversary year. It’s easily the best of its two fellow releases [details HERE] and yet sadly the only one that, as yet, hasn’t received an audiobook release. It’s a wonderfully compelling read and comes highly recommended for any Who fan both classic or current!

BLOGTOR RATING 9/10

Thanks to Broadway Paperbacks

Review by Emrys Matthews

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The Crimson Horror clip

The Crimson Horror star Dame Diana Rigg was a guest on Th Andrew Marr Show this morning and during her interview a clip from the upcoming Mark Gatiss story was shown - watch it in the player below. The 100th episode of Doctor Who since its restart in 2005 and airs on May 4 in the UK and North America and the following day in Poland, South Africa and Australia. Visit the episode section for more clips, pics and news HERE.

You can see the full interview with Dame Diana Rigg HERE

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Diana Rigg interview

Dame Diana Rigg was a guest on The Andrew Marr Show earlier today, watch her interview in the player below. During it she chats about being in the upcoming Mark Gatiss story, The Crimson Horror, fans, The Avengers and Game of Thrones. The 100th episode of Doctor Who since its restart in 2005 and airs on May 4 in the UK and North America and the following day in Poland, South Africa and Australia. Visit the episode section for more clips, pics and news HERE.

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Lalla Ward interview

This evening's edition of BBC Radio 4 show Loose Ends featured an interview with Lalla Ward - listen to it in the player above. The actress, best known for playing Romana alongside The Fourth Doctor, chats about her time on the show, Tom Baker, Douglas Adams and being asked back on Doctor Who.

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The Crimson Horror hints & teasers

Blogtor has given our buddies over at Cult Box 10 Teasers and 10 Hints for the next Doctor Who episode, The Crimson Horror - check out the links below. The Mark Gatiss story is the 100th episode of Doctor Who since its restart in 2005 and airs on May 4 in the UK and North America and the following day in Poland, South Africa and Australia. Visit the episode section for more clips, pics and news HERE.

10 Teasers

10 Hints

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Next Time - The Crimson Horror

The BBC has released a Next Time trail for The Crimson Horror - watch it in the player below. The Mark Gatiss story is the 100th episode of Doctor Who since its restart in 2005 and airs on May 4 in the UK and North America and the following day in Poland, South Africa and Australia. Visit the episode section for more clips, pics and news HERE.

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Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS - behind~the~scenes

The BBC has released a behind the scenes video for tonight's Doctor Who episode, Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS - watch it in the player above. Visit the episode section for more pics, clips and news HERE.

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The Name of The Doctor episode synopsis

The BBC has released a synopsis for the final episode of Doctor Who Series 7, The Name Of the Doctor - read it below. The story will air in the UK and North America on May 18 and in Australia, South Africa and Poland the following day. For more pics, clips and news from The Name of the Doctor visit the episode section HERE 

"Clara is summoned to an impossible conference call, alerting her that the deadly Whisper Men are closing in on Vastra, Jenny and Strax. Someone is kidnapping the Doctor’s friends, leading him toward the one place in all of time and space that he should never go. It’s a deadly trap that threatens to unravel his past, present and future..."

Read what Steven Moffat has to say about the finale HERE

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Moffat talks S7 finale

Current showrunner Steven Moffat has been chatting with the BBC about the Series 7 finale, The Name of the Doctor. Discussing The Whisper Men, he said, "the thought of stylish whispering almost faceless creatures was an idea that firstly scared me and that I thought would work well in an episode that looks forward and back." Moving on to the plot itself and the mystery of Clara he added:

"It’s full of surprises and questions that have never been answered in the history of Who, including the Doctors greatest secret. We’re not pretending, we’re not kidding, it’s actually going to happen. We’ll also find out what makes his new companion so impossible and there’s a surprise that no one has got right so far, and one that will change the course of Who forever!"

For more pics, clips and news from The Name of the Doctor visit the episode section HERE

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The Doctors Revisited - The Fourth Doctor

Included in the player below is another promotional trail for the fourth episode of the BBC America series, The Doctors Revisited. This installment looks at The Fourth Doctor, as played by Tom Baker - who you can see in the promo along with Tenth Doctor, David Tennant. It also features features exclusive interviews with Steven Moffat, producer Marcus Wilson and companion Louise Jameson. 

The Doctors Revisited - The Fourth Doctor airs on Sunday April 28 at 8/7c and is followed by the classic story, Pyramids of Mars.

Next month, it's The Fifth Doctor and his special features interviews with Peter Davison, Steven Moffat, Hugh Bonneville (The Curse of the Black Spot, A Good Man Goes To War), Sarah Sutton (Nyssa) and Mark Strickson (Turlough) among others. An airing of The Fifth Doctor story Earthshock follows. Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited – The Fifth Doctor premieres Sunday, May 26, 8:00pm ET/PT.

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News Round~Up

As news comes in thick and fast in the world of Doctor Who, some juicy nuggets may have passed you by. Collected here is a round-up of the very latest news about Series 7 Part 2 and beyond. Don't forget you can follow Blogtor Who on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news on Doctor Who - follow HERE. Read the last news round~up HERE.

JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF THE TARDIS
Matt Smith inroduction
Clip 2
Clip 1
Promotional pictures
Next Time preview
BBC America trail
10 Hints
10 Teasers

SERIES 7
FINALE - The Name of the Doctor poster art
Hide - behind~the~scenes video
Nightmare in Silver episode synopsis

50TH ANNIVERSARY
David Tennant talks 50th filming
BFI June screening announced
Eve Myles not involved

REVIEWS
The Robots of Death at the BFI
The Politician's Husband Ep 1

MERCHANDISE
Regeneration DVD box set details
Destiny of the Doctor 5 - Smoke and Mirrors

MISC.
Blogtor interviews EVE MYLES
David Tennant in The Politician's Husband
Doctor Who stars in web series
The Doctors Revisited - The Fourth Doctor
The Blogtor Who Top 50 - No. 32
Dimensions In Time outtakes
Dean Lennox Kelly intimidated by David Tennant on The Shakespeare Code 
25 Underappreciated Doctor Who stories

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Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS introduction

Included in the player above is an introduction from Matt Smith to the next Doctor Who episode, Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS. The story airs April 27 in the UK and North America whilst South Africa, Poland and Australia all receive it the following day. Visit the episode section for more pics, clips and news HERE.

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Regeneration DVD box set details

BBC Worldwide has announced details of a new DVD box set featuring a limited edition coffee table book-styled collectors’ album including six DVDs and over 1000 minutes of Doctor Who footage. Doctor Who: Regeneration will be released in the UK on June 24 with an RRP of £61.27, click on the images included for bigger versions and check out the details below:

The collection features each Doctor’s iconic regeneration episode; from the first Doctor played by William Hartnell, exhausted after battling the Cybermen to Jon Pertwee’s Third Doctor suffering from radiation that had been unleashed by the Great One (a giant spider); and from the spectacular transformation of the Ninth Doctor to David Tennant’s emotional farewell as the Tenth.

The set is adorned with superb photography from across the era and features detailed and informative accounts of each regeneration. And if that wasn’t enough, new to DVD is The Tenth Planet featuring the Doctor’s first regeneration – beautifully restored with the missing fourth episode now brought to life with stunning animation. Utilising the original soundtrack, off-screen photographs and a short surviving sequence of the Doctor’s regeneration the episode has been now reconstructed in animated form, incorporating the restored version of the surviving sequence.

A full list of stories included on the DVD are:

    •    The Tenth Planet
    •    The War Games
    •    Planet of the Spiders
    •    Logopolis
    •    The Caves of Androzani
    •    Time and the Rani
    •    Doctor Who: The Movie
    •    Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways
    •    The End of Time

Thanks to BBC Worldwide

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