Doctor Who News, Articles, Cast and Crew Interviews

[Blencathra]

The Magician’s Apprentice: The Fact File

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/arti...-the-fact-file

The read-through for The Magician’s Apprentice took place on Monday, 9 February and shooting on it began later that same week, on Thursday 12 February.

‘The beginning… where it all started…’ The Magician’s Apprentice premiered on 19 September, 2015. Exactly 52 years earlier the first filming session for the very first Doctor Who adventure, An Unearthly Child, took place in Ealing Studios!

Director Hettie Macdonald was at the helm for Blink back in 2007, the award-winning episode that introduced the Weeping Angels to the world.

Spoiler:

Kelly Hunter returned as the Shadow Architect, previously seen in the Tenth Doctor episode, The Stolen Earth. And Clare Higgins is back as Ohila! Fans may remember her from The Night of the Doctor in 2013 and more recently, the Series 9 Prologue. Other familiar faces include Michelle Gomez and Jemma Redgrave, of course, playing Missy and Kate, respectively.

Julian Bleach returns as Davros, the creator of the Daleks. The role was originally played by Michael Wisher in Genesis of the Daleks, before David Gooderson took the part in Destiny of the Daleks. For the sinister scientist’s next few appearances (Resurrection of the Daleks, Revelation of the Daleks and Remembrance of the Daleks) he was portrayed by Terry Molloy before Julian Bleach played Davros in The Stolen Earth/Journey’s End. Find out more about the Daleks’ creator…

The exterior scenes on Skaro featuring Missy and Clara were shot in Fuerteventura, the second largest of the Canary Islands. The crew had previously filmed on Lanzarote, another of the islands, for several of Kill the Moon’s lunar sequences and way back in 1984 that same island was utilised on a location shoot for Planet of Fire.

The fact we see one soldier armed with a bow and arrow has a degree of irony. When the Fourth Doctor visited the war on Skaro during Genesis of the Daleks, his companion, Harry, was astonished by the weaponry used by the military in the fighting and reflected, ‘they're going to finish off with bows and arrows...’

Clara mentions the English novelist, Jane Austen, during her lesson… The last time she was referenced, Clara was also at Coal Hill School and on that occasion the Doctor corrected her regarding the year which Austen’s best known work, Pride and Prejudice, was written.

When Jac mentions ‘San Martino, Troy (and) multiples for New York…’ it’s a reference to several previous adventures. The Doctor and Sarah visited San Martino in The Masque of Mandragora and the TARDIS landed in the Big Apple in The Chase, Daleks in Manhattan/Evolution of the Daleks and The Angels Take Manhattan.

Jac’s allusion to ‘three possible versions of Atlantis’ is a knowing nod to a trio of early stories. Atlantis was apparently destroyed when Missy – known at the time as the Master – unleashed the chronovore, Kronos, in The Time Monster but we also saw a version of Atlantis in the Second Doctor story, The Underwater Menace. Finally, in The Daemons, the mighty Azal spoke of Atlantis but suggested he had caused its demise… Hence Jac referring to ‘three possible versions’!

‘Compassion, Doctor. It has always been your greatest indulgence…’ Davros’ words echo those spoken by his creations in Victory of the Daleks: ‘The Doctor has failed! His compassion is his greatest weakness! Daleks have no such weakness!’

When Clara says, ‘Do not go gentle into that good night…’ she’s quoting the first line of Dylan Thomas’ poem of the same title.

[Blencathra]

Some more promo images. The BBC are calling these promos for The Witch's Familiar but most of them look like The Magician's Apprentice to me. Anyway, they give nothing away for The Witch's Familiar. Some nice large pics at the link.

http://who-natic.blogspot.co.uk/2015...-familiar.html

[Blencathra]

The Magician’s Apprentice Sets US Ratings Record

http://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk/the-mag...cord-76243.htm

While the UK overnights could have been stronger, The Magician’s Apprentice was the highest rated season premiere to date in the US on BBC America.

The premiere episode ranks as Doctor Who’s biggest season premiere ever overseas in the Adult 18-49 demo, which nearly doubled the Series 8 average. The season debut also saw increased social engagement versus last season’s premiere, and reigned as the most social drama of the night and week leading into the premiere.

“Doctor Who is unlike anything else on television, a storied franchise that is as fresh and contemporary as ever, with brilliant writing and superb performances,” said Sarah Barnett, President of BBC AMERICA. “We couldn’t be more thrilled that new and returning Doctor Who fans tuned into the live premiere in record numbers and we look forward to bringing more of the Doctor to this passionate audience.”

Live + Same Day Ratings Highlights:

- The premiere telecast delivered 2 million total viewers and 1.1 million Adults 18-49. Among A18-49, Doctor Who propelled BBC AMERICA to #3 in its timeslot, out-delivering the big 4 broadcast networks and ranking only behind college football on ESPN and the finale of Sábado Gigante on Univision.

- In the A18-49 demo, Doctor Who is now one of just 14 dramas on TV this season to show any growth from its prior season premiere (out of 100+ returning dramas).

- The A18-49 audience ranks as Doctor Who’s biggest season premiere ever on BBC AMERICA, nearly doubling the S8 average (+95%). In the demo, episode 901 ranks among the top 10 returning cable drama premieres this season, beating Homeland, Suits and The Strain, among others.

- All tracked demos showed increases from the season 8 average with the most significant increases seen among the younger demos, most notably P12-24 (+186%) and P18-34 (+161%).

- The episode reigned as the #1 most social drama of the night based on ListenFirst’s Digital Audience Ratings for Television. It was the #1 TV brand on Tumblr, the #1 drama on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube and the #2 drama on Instagram, following The Walking Dead. It was also the #1 most social drama of the week.

- Episode 901 garnered larger social engagement than the most recent season premieres of Scandal, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, True Detective, Outlander, Glee, and The Flash, among others.

US fans can currently watch the opener legally for free via youtube.

[Blencathra]

Video - Steven Moffat and Peter Capaldi introduce "The Witch's Familiar"

[Blencathra]

Clip from The Witch's Familiar.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0338dqk

[Blencathra]

PREVIEW: Doctor Who Series 9, The Witch's Familiar [SPOILER-FREE]

http://blogtorwho.blogspot.co.uk/201...-9-witchs.html

As you may remember, and hopefully now appreciate, there was much in The Magician's Apprentice spoiler-free review I did not want to discuss. You might have thought this second part would be an easier ride, but it's quite the opposite - so please do forgive the brevity of this look at another fantastic, but shocking, instalment from Steven Moffat.

Spoiler:

I guess I'll get the shocks out the way first. There are some big, big moves from Steven here as he continues to revisit Whostory in his own audacious fashion.

A huge bulk of The Witch's Familiar is given over to the face-off between The Doctor and Davros - and it's a fascinating watch as both men reveal their hands, very slowly, over the course of the episode. Julian Bleach, so grotesquely mesmerising in last week's instalment, surpasses himself once more with that sickly nuanced performance we saw in The Magician's Apprentice brought to its natural end as Davros continues his death throes to the bitter end.

Bleach has truly defined the role of the Skarosian scientist, bettering that of Michael Wisher's truly astounding original performance (a feat I didn't think was possible). Without spoiling the plot, it's not just a one-note show from Bleach, the actor spreads his wings, as it were, and fully fleshes out the character of Davros. Writer Steven Moffat has gifted him with a script that no other Davros has faced before, and Bleech meets the challenge in the most brilliant and unexpected of ways.

Capaldi is no slouch either. His tete-a-tete with his former adversary, now friend (of sorts) is engrossing to the extreme and old-skool fans will delight at further takes and revisitings of scenes and dialogue from Genesis of the Daleks. There's also a tip of the hat, yet again in Doctor Who, to the film Return of the Jedi in an eyebrow raising, YouTube reaction video-making scene.

Scares and horror are also delivered by director Hettie MacDonald as we dive into the murky and malevolent Dalek sewers and discover much about the mad little tanks. In fact, we learn a great many thing about the Daleks and there's a terrific comparison with their fellow Who badboys: "Cybermen suppress emotion, Daleks channel it."

I do have some quibbles, however. Steven Moffat has, in his unique fashion, made some continuity and mythology choices which I can't say pleased me greatly (and I imagine I won't be alone); the writer is bringing in the changes to the past and future in colossal ways. Some fans will applaud, some will boo. Plus ca change.

But these are minor quibbles for me. I do want to highlight, however, a moment which I do consider to be unfitting of Doctor Who - and that's the use of the word "b*tch." In recent times, the language used and suggestions from the show have been, from time to time, a little too near the knuckle for my liking (do feel free to skip the next paragraph if your sense-of-decency-o-meter is calibrated differently to mine).

Both former showrunner Russell T Davies and current, Steven Moffat, like to push that dirty/tasteless adult envelope, as it were. Whilst many don't have a problem with that sort of thing (RTD's "slab love" in Love & Monsters and SteeMo's mention of Steve Jobs in Dark Water, for example), I do. For me, Doctor Who is not the place for that sort of teenage, Twitter-baiting gag or language. But, we all have different tastes, and I'm sure many will guffaw and appreciate it in the context of the story.

Some of the bigger shocks and revelations I cannot discuss, though I would love to, but viewers won't be disappointed with what's going on elsewhere on Skaro. Whilst not as frantic or frenetic as last week's opener, The Witch's Familiar in its own wordy and contemplative fashion is guaranteed to keep you hooked in the same way.

The final moments hint at an epically volcanic and disturbing (in a good way) story arc to come, or even multiple story arcs; the future does not look rosy for the Time Lord. And these closing seconds also give fans something to get apoplectic about (and I look forward to watching Twitter when that happens) but also a quiet moment for a hand, mercy and friendship. True tenets of Doctor Who.

Doctor Who, The Witch's Familiar airs Sept 26 at 7.45pm on BBC One

Review by Cameron K McEwan

__________


Excitement reaching danger levels here!

[Alan]

PREVIEW: Doctor Who Series 9, The Witch's Familiar [SPOILER-FREE]

http://blogtorwho.blogspot.co.uk/201...-9-witchs.html

As you may remember, and hopefully now appreciate, there was much in The Magician's Apprentice spoiler-free review I did not want to discuss. You might have thought this second part would be an easier ride, but it's quite the opposite - so please do forgive the brevity of this look at another fantastic, but shocking, instalment from Steven Moffat.

Spoiler:

I guess I'll get the shocks out the way first. There are some big, big moves from Steven here as he continues to revisit Whostory in his own audacious fashion.

A huge bulk of The Witch's Familiar is given over to the face-off between The Doctor and Davros - and it's a fascinating watch as both men reveal their hands, very slowly, over the course of the episode. Julian Bleach, so grotesquely mesmerising in last week's instalment, surpasses himself once more with that sickly nuanced performance we saw in The Magician's Apprentice brought to its natural end as Davros continues his death throes to the bitter end.

Bleach has truly defined the role of the Skarosian scientist, bettering that of Michael Wisher's truly astounding original performance (a feat I didn't think was possible). Without spoiling the plot, it's not just a one-note show from Bleach, the actor spreads his wings, as it were, and fully fleshes out the character of Davros. Writer Steven Moffat has gifted him with a script that no other Davros has faced before, and Bleech meets the challenge in the most brilliant and unexpected of ways.

Capaldi is no slouch either. His tete-a-tete with his former adversary, now friend (of sorts) is engrossing to the extreme and old-skool fans will delight at further takes and revisitings of scenes and dialogue from Genesis of the Daleks. There's also a tip of the hat, yet again in Doctor Who, to the film Return of the Jedi in an eyebrow raising, YouTube reaction video-making scene.

Scares and horror are also delivered by director Hettie MacDonald as we dive into the murky and malevolent Dalek sewers and discover much about the mad little tanks. In fact, we learn a great many thing about the Daleks and there's a terrific comparison with their fellow Who badboys: "Cybermen suppress emotion, Daleks channel it."

I do have some quibbles, however. Steven Moffat has, in his unique fashion, made some continuity and mythology choices which I can't say pleased me greatly (and I imagine I won't be alone); the writer is bringing in the changes to the past and future in colossal ways. Some fans will applaud, some will boo. Plus ca change.

But these are minor quibbles for me. I do want to highlight, however, a moment which I do consider to be unfitting of Doctor Who - and that's the use of the word "b*tch." In recent times, the language used and suggestions from the show have been, from time to time, a little too near the knuckle for my liking (do feel free to skip the next paragraph if your sense-of-decency-o-meter is calibrated differently to mine).

Both former showrunner Russell T Davies and current, Steven Moffat, like to push that dirty/tasteless adult envelope, as it were. Whilst many don't have a problem with that sort of thing (RTD's "slab love" in Love & Monsters and SteeMo's mention of Steve Jobs in Dark Water, for example), I do. For me, Doctor Who is not the place for that sort of teenage, Twitter-baiting gag or language. But, we all have different tastes, and I'm sure many will guffaw and appreciate it in the context of the story.

Some of the bigger shocks and revelations I cannot discuss, though I would love to, but viewers won't be disappointed with what's going on elsewhere on Skaro. Whilst not as frantic or frenetic as last week's opener, The Witch's Familiar in its own wordy and contemplative fashion is guaranteed to keep you hooked in the same way.

The final moments hint at an epically volcanic and disturbing (in a good way) story arc to come, or even multiple story arcs; the future does not look rosy for the Time Lord. And these closing seconds also give fans something to get apoplectic about (and I look forward to watching Twitter when that happens) but also a quiet moment for a hand, mercy and friendship. True tenets of Doctor Who.

Doctor Who, The Witch's Familiar airs Sept 26 at 7.45pm on BBC One

Review by Cameron K McEwan

__________


Excitement reaching danger levels here!

I haven't looked under the spoiler tags, but that bit in bold, for me at least, is the best preview of all - unashamed, giddy fellow fan excitement!

[Blencathra]

Tweet from Blogtor Who

https://twitter.com/BlogtorWho/statu...97980653891584

According to Radio Times, Doctor Who Series 9, Ep 3, Under The Lake, will air at 8.25pm, Oct 3 on BBC One. (To be officially confirmed.)

[Alan]

Tweet from Blogtor Who

https://twitter.com/BlogtorWho/statu...97980653891584

Wow! Much later than usual if what they've tweeted is true! I wonder if it is the content of the episode that's prompted the push back? If so, it must be a creepy one!

[Blencathra]

Wow! Much later than usual if what they've tweeted is true! I wonder if it is the content of the episode that's prompted the push back? If so, it must be a creepy one!

It's certainly looking that way.

Tweet from DoctorWhoTV

https://twitter.com/doctorwhotv/stat...15469349699585

@hanniganspiteri "Under the Lake” is going to air very late on BBC1. Not surprised though. It is certainly pushing the scares!

[Blencathra]

Any fans from the Bristol area?

Doctor Who: Preview of Under the Lake Plus Q&A

http://www.watershed.co.uk/whatson/6...ho-preview-qa/

A special preview of Episode 3 of the new series of Doctor Who, followed by a Q&A with Deaf actor Sophie Stone and Zaqi Ismail, producer Derek Ritchie, writer Toby Whithouse and director Daniel O’Hara.

This screening will be subtitled and feature sign language. The Q&A session will include live speech to text transcription and a sign language interpreter. All of our cinema auditoria are fitted with induction loop systems.

[Alan]

It's certainly looking that way.

Tweet from DoctorWhoTV

https://twitter.com/doctorwhotv/stat...15469349699585

Brilliant!

[Teddybrown]

If its later, hopefully it has scares!

As for that review, wish I hadnt read it now, it doesnt spoil anything but my excitement levels are now sky high!

[Blencathra]

I hope this is true. Big Finish taking yet more of my money!


David Tennant and Catherine Tate reunite for Doctor Who audio adventures

http://blogtorwho.blogspot.co.uk/201...rine-tate.html

As regular readers will know, the producers of Doctor Who audio adventures, Big Finish, have secured the rights to various "new" Who characters. Coming up soon are stories with River Song, Strax, along with various aliens and monsters such as the Weeping Angels, Sycorax and Judoon - full details and artwork HERE.

Fans will also be delighted to know that both David Tennant and Catherine Tate will be returning to their roles as The Tenth Doctor and Donna Noble respectively for Big Finish. The pair have signed up to recreate their roles for audio in a series due for release in 2016. Blogtor understands the scripts are ready to go and will be recorded when David and Catherine's schedules permit.

Tennant and Tate first appeared in The Runaway Bride (2006), throughout Series 4 (2008) and then again in The End of Time (2009/10).

Big Finish declined to comment when contacted by BlogtorWho.

[BruTak]

Meh. Not into the Big Finish stuff at all.

But to each their own.