Doctor Who - 50th anniversary year

[Gurke and Hare]

Yeah, but 'Go to Jail' should be 'Go to Shada' for full authenticity, surely.

'Go to a prison colony on the moon'.

[Replies From View]

Go to Shada is an excellent one.  You are condemned to be left unfinished.

[kidsick5000]

Or 'Kung Fu Rod Stewart' as they call him on the 'Bigger on the Inside' podcast!

Brilliant. Well that's earned them a new listener then.

[Dark Sky]

But seemingly randomly-arranged episodes when they should have picked places.  And two of those episodes are The End of Time, and one of them is Warriors of the Deep.  It is most vexing.

I agree it should have picked places, rather than episodes.  The episodes do seem less random, though, when you realise they're grouping them together by monster/villain.

Still bad choices, though.  Places would have been amazing, especially if each tile had unique artwork. 

(Oh, and for a more modern reference, jail could have been Stormcage.)

[BritishHobo]

Well this is certainly a thing that is happening.

A new Doctor Who 50th anniversary adventure will bring together "all the surviving Doctors," plus a number of their original companions, according to writer and director Nicholas Briggs.

Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann are explicitly confirmed for the 100-minute-long audio story The Light at the End, while Briggs has hinted that remaining Doctors Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant and incumbent Matt Smith are "behind the project", and that the Time Lord's first three incarnations, originally played by the late William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee, could also feature.

"We wanted to do a proper, fully-fledged multi-Doctor story for this very special occasion," said Briggs, who will also executive produce and direct the story for Big Finish productions. "It's wonderful that all the surviving Doctors threw themselves behind the project so enthusiastically. That's not to say the first three Doctors don't appear – we wanted to pay homage to the whole history of the classic series."

Meanwhile, the multiple Doctors are not the only characters returning for the adventure. Listeners can look forward to "appearances from some much-cherished old friends from the TV series" as well as several of the original actresses who played the Time Lord's companions.

Louise Jameson will reprise her role as leather-clad barbarian Leela (although listeners will just have to imagine that outfit) who travelled with fourth Doctor Tom Baker, while Sarah Sutton will return as scientist Nyssa, who crossed over between Baker and Peter Davison. Her successor Nicola Bryant, aka American student Peri, will be joined by Sophie Aldred as Sylvester McCoy's streetwise companion Ace and India Fisher as Edwardian adventurer Charley Pollard, who accompanied Paul McGann's eighth Doctor in a series of BBC radio plays produced by Big Finish.

Last, but not least, the Doctor's arch-enemy the Master is back to "create mayhem", voiced by Geoffrey Beevers who played him in the TV series as a decaying husk at the tail end of his final regeneration.

Plot details for The Light at the End are currently scarce but the "very special story" will see the Doctor's various incarnations thrust together as they face "imminent destruction".

Due for release in November, the audio production comes as a standard two-disc pack, as well as a limited edition five-disc set, complete with two hour-long documentaries plus an extra adventure, The Revenants, performed by William Russell, star of the very first Doctor Who TV story.

[Glebe]

Well that's another one for the Saville inquiry![nb]Only jokin', dear old Pertwee![/nb]

[The Roofdog]

Well this is certainly a thing that is happening.

3 discs of special features for a Big Finish story! I've said it before and I'll say it again: who is buying this shit? Don't they know it's back on TV?

[Delete Delete Delete]

3 discs of special features for a Big Finish story! I've said it before and I'll say it again: who is buying this shit? Don't they know it's back on TV?

2 discs with the documentary  and 1 disc and extra story.... And I buy this shit, and its very enjoyable shit.

[The Giggling Bean]

Me too, a lot of it's better that what ends up on TV.

[Replies From View]

Your mamma.

[olliebean]

True, the Big Finish stuff is excellent, but very expensive... you can get several HD TV episodes from iTunes for the price of one 60 minute BF audio download. Consequently I've only heard the ones that have been on the radio.

[Replies From View]

I like that this is the way they're dealing with the multi-Doctor need.  We can more or less assume that we won't be having billions of Doctors on screen together now, which I think is a good thing.  A television special now has the scope to be most excellent.

[Dark Sky]

I like that this is the way they're dealing with the multi-Doctor need.  We can more or less assume that we won't be having billions of Doctors on screen together now

If this turns out to be true I shall cry.

This is the one chance to have a multi Doctor story on TV.  If Moffat doesn't take it then he's an idiot.  He was ranting in a DWM interview a year ago that Tom Baker was a fool for not being in The Five Doctors, and that Tom should regret that decision every day.  How could he not want to get the past Doctors back, even if just for cameos?

[Thomas]

Well, Moffat's already done that great short bit with the Fifth and Tenth interacting.

Though it does get a bit weird with the Doctor proclaiming his grinny, fanboy admiration for himself, to himself. It was really just Steven Moffat speaking through David Tennant, if I remember rightly. But it was great.

[Jemble Fred]

3 discs of special features for a Big Finish story! I've said it before and I'll say it again: who is buying this shit? Don't they know it's back on TV?

As if Smith & Moffatt could even try to measure up to that cast in The Light At The End, and the incredible scope of that promised plot. BUT DEY AVE DA PIKCHORS SO MUST BE BETTER!

That said, it seems incredibly likely from all this that TV could be having a New Who grouping, while all previous Doctors are in audio only. It's a fair compromise, I suppose.

[Thomas]

That said, it seems incredibly likely from all this that TV could be having a New Who grouping, while all previous Doctors are in audio only. It's a fair compromise, I suppose.

Christopher Eccleston still seems fairly steadfast in his non-reprisal antics. 'Never bathe in the same river twice,' I think he says.

But, and it's quite a but, if he takes it from the character's point of view, the Ninth Doctor will still be in same river he was in[nb]deleted scene with Alex Kingston.[/nb] back in 2005, in his own timestream. Christopher Eccleston wouldn't be bathing in the same river twice, he'd just be bringing forward a bit more of the initial bathing as it happened for the character.

Might email him.

[Dark Sky]

Christopher Eccleston still seems fairly steadfast in his non-reprisal antics. 'Never bathe in the same river twice,' I think he says.

He said that years ago...  It's really hard to tell, but he may have changed his tune.  In a recent interview somebody asked him whether he's going to be involved in Doctor Who's 50th anniversary, and he responded with, "I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you."

Which to be honest, could be read either way.  I am ever the optimist.

[Jemble Fred]

Eccleston is my favourite living actor, but if he's happy to ponce about in superhero sequels like Thor 2 but has entirely called time on playing the Doctor forever, then he's a twat. I suppose this year will largely decide  that...

[Thomas]

Oh yes, I remember that interview, Dark Sky.

I first saw it as a GIF image, in which he was smiling, with 'I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you' as a caption, so I felt almost certain that he would be returning. But then I saw the actual video and it's a lot more ambiguous.

[Alternative Carpark]

He said that years ago...

30 April 2011... the only reason why I know the date is because it was talked about at the time on another Forum I visit.

[biggytitbo]

Oh yes, I remember that interview, Dark Sky.

I first saw it as a GIF image, in which he was smiling, with 'I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you' as a caption, so I felt almost certain that he would be returning. But then I saw the actual video and it's a lot more ambiguous.

Yeah the actual interview it was obviously just a joke and he has no interest in it.

[VegaLA]

Christopher Eccleston still seems fairly steadfast in his non-reprisal antics. 'Never bathe in the same river twice,' I think he says.

He shouldn't have taken the role with that attitude. Everyone knows full well what entails with Doctor Who. Waste of a regen as far as i'm concerned.

[Jemble Fred]

Waste of a regen as far as i'm concerned.

There wouldn't be any ongoing TV series to celebrate right now if it wasn't for his Doctor. It was an honour for the show to have such a superior actor (and RTD, obv) bring it back to life. Even if it was all too briefly.

[daf]

There wouldn't be any ongoing TV series to celebrate right now if it wasn't for his Doctor. It was an honour for the show to have such a superior actor (and RTD, obv) bring it back to life. Even if it was all too briefly.

Oh you edited that!

My top two would be Tom Baker and Patrick Troughton - I think Troughton's the best, but Tom's my favourite (if that makes sense).

[Dark Sky]

30 April 2011... the only reason why I know the date is because it was talked about at the time on another Forum I visit.

Well it was still a long time ago.

I don't agree with biggytitbo that it's as clear cut that Eccleston's not doing the anniversary.  If he's not, why didn't he just say, 'I'm not doing it'.  Why did he come out with a cryptic comment.  We know he's not a great liar after he spilled the beans himself about leaving Who after one series, even though the BBC were trying to keep it a secret.

He shouldn't have taken the role with that attitude. Everyone knows full well what entails with Doctor Who. Waste of a regen as far as i'm concerned.

I did read in an interview once (which I now can't find) where he said that he was planning to do three years and do stage work during the filming breaks.  It was only once they started filming that he changed his mind; mostly it seems because he hated the way the crew was treated on set, especially during the disastrous first block of filming where by the end of the first week they were three weeks behind schedule and the crew were being asked to work late, etc.  Eccleston hated that culture of the crew being treated poorly.  According to eye witnesses did not get on with director Keith Boak at all, and - although I have nothing to support this - I suspect he fell out with Phil Collinson massively about the working conditions for the crew.  Before filming Eccleston also spoke about his interest in doing the occasional Big Finish audio play once he'd left the role.

I love Eccleston.  He seems like a genuinely nice guy and he was a great Doctor.  He's the least likely Doctor to come back for the 50th, but I really hope he does.

[Thomas]

I'd love for Christopher Eccs' to return too. I've realised recently just how flippin' annoying the Tenth Doctor, once my beloved favourite, could be.

Just this morning I found myself bothered by the memory of him speaking to that Ood before The End of Time, when he locked the TARDIS 'like a car, like a car.'

Always saying 'OHH' when entering a room/leaving a room, pronouncing all his 's's like Sean Connery,[nb]by which I mean he'd say 'sh', not 'Sean Connery'.[/nb] always gurning and grinning and being dressed like a businessman, always saying 'well.'

[Catalogue Trousers]

Tennant's best performance EVER in ANYTHING is as Simon's "tennis coach" in Posh Nosh, and that's brief and virtually silent. But genuinely superb.

[biggytitbo]

I'd love for Christopher Eccs' to return too. I've realised recently just how flippin' annoying the Tenth Doctor, once my beloved favourite, could be.

Just this morning I found myself bothered by the memory of him speaking to that Ood before The End of Time, when he locked the TARDIS 'like a car, like a car.'

Always saying 'OHH' when entering a room/leaving a room, pronouncing all his 's's like Sean Connery,[nb]by which I mean he'd say 'sh', not 'Sean Connery'.[/nb] always gurning and grinning and being dressed like a businessman, always saying 'well.'

Yeah it's one of the downsides of matt smith, he,s so much better than Tennant that it makes it extremely difficult to go back and rematch even the really great 10th doctor episodes because of Tennant annoying performances. 'Well' at least human nature doesn't have that problem.

[Thomas]

Human Nature is certainly a classic. I've no problem with David Tennant - he seems a perfectly able actor and a fine chap - it's just his particular characterisation of the Doctor that irks me.

Still, after a millennium of travelling through time and space and ladies, I'm sure we'd all have had an annoying, show-off phase.

[Replies From View]

I've no problem with David Tennant - he seems a perfectly able actor and a fine chap - it's just his particular characterisation of the Doctor that irks me.

And he does do those superb Virgin media ads now.