Project 2 (of 3) is looking up

In case you hadn’t noticed, RTD is signing off his era of Doctor Who with a bang. The Waters of Mars delivered a cracking tale that took the character of the Tenth Doctor to previously unexplored dark areas (other than possibly some of Seventh Doctor’s shenanigans in the New Adventures). In order to appease some Whovians who voiced concerns over the so-called gap year, the production team promised three special “projects” in addition to the main stories. First up was the appearance of David Tennant in the Sarah Jane spin-off, a quite successful little adventure as

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Tags: BBCi, David Tennant, Dreamland, End of Time, Russell-T-Davies, Sarah-Jane, Viperox

Time Lord Victorious

Well, how was the Waters of Mars for you? Best RTD script so far? Possibly (I still reckon “Midnight” might hold the crown). If there is such a thing as an “instant classic”, and, after all, “Blink” proved to us that there is, then Waters of Mars may just be another. It was as close to faultless Doctor Who as I can imagine with an atmosphere that oozed foreboding, brilliant acting from the two leads, and a script and plot that fizzed along for a marvellous hour of television. At it’s heart was, and I use this term in full knowledge that every other Who-review will include it too, a “base-under-siege” tale where

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Tags: David Tennant, End of Time, Lindsay Duncan, Russell-T-Davies, Time Lords, Waters of Mars

The Water’s Is Coming

Before embarking on my review for the final part of the Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith, I just thought I’d mention the forthcoming Waters of Mars. Touted as being more like the first of a three part swan-song for David Tennant’s Tenth Doctor, rather than a stand-alone episode (I’m thinking it might stand as a Utopia-type episode, which served as lead up to The Sound of Drums and Last of the Time Lords back in Series Three), the time and date of transmission has been confirmed as being on Sunday 15th November at 7pm. I believe that the preview screening for the press took place to much acclaim yesterday.

Tags: David Tennant, Russell-T-Davies, Waters of Mars

Show Me The Way

I guess that we have all become familiar with Doctor Who’s format over these last few years, with a 13-episode series running in the spring along with a smattering of extra bits and bobs like Children in Need specials and musical concerts throughout the year, with the jewel of these bits/bobs being an hour-long Christmas extravaganza of varying quality.  There has been much hot air expended throughout fandom over the alleged “gap year” between Series Four in 2008 and Five in 2010. Most of this outcry I have been happy to dismiss in

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Tags: bbc hd, David Tennant, Michelle Ryan, Planet of the Dead, Russell-T-Davies, TARDIS, The-Mill, Tritovore, UNIT, Upper Boat

Ticket to Ride

Slow but steady anticpation is building in advance of the second (or first, depending on your perspective) of this year’s Doctor Who “Gap Year” specials.  I’m looking at Planet of the Dead as “2 of 5″ rather than “1 of 4″ because The Next Doctor is as much a part of the period between Series Four and Series Five as anything else.  There has been a bit of a push from the Beeb’s  marketing peeps with a few guest appearances on the usual outlets, such as Michelle Ryan on Blue Peter tonight; RTD on yesterday’s BBC Breakfast; something to do with a

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Tags: bbc hd, Bernard Cribbins, David Tennant, Michelle Ryan, Planet of the Dead, Radio-Times, Russell-T-Davies, Waters of Mars, Wilf

Doctor Who: The Next Doctor – What are you smiling about?

Normally I watch Doctor Who episodes at least twice. The first time is upon original transmission and I sit with wide-eyed pleasure and soak up every drop of new Whoishness that is played out before me. Despite the fact that I know that I will soon be watching it again with an aim of dissecting it, quoting it, arguing about it, analysing it and generally being far too critical, that first viewing is almost always the best before these corrupting influences of fandom begin to taint and smear the experience.

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Tags: Cybermen, David Tennant, David-Morrisey, Dervla Kirwin, Next Doctor, Russell-T-Davies