Doctor Who Series 12B: The Timeless Chibnall (Xmas special & pre-Series 13 chat)

[daf]

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Yesterday's tweeters :
MURRAY GOLD : @LockdownWho (Music)
FARREN BLACKBURN : @FarrenBlackburn (Director)
KATE WALSHE : @MFXkate (Millennium FX)
CHRIS ANDERSON : @ChrisAnderson92 (Chorister)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Combined link : #FestivalOfOfferings

[weekender]

Thanks for doing this by the way.  I enjoy reading them, even if I can't be arsed posting much about them.

[Mister Six]

Same! Although I'm a bit sad that Neil Cross isn't contributing to this.

[Ambient Sheep]

Likewise. :)

[daf]

Part 1

KATE WALSHE : Gaaah not long now! What visual nuggets will I share this time #FestivalOfOfferings
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : testing testing... check one...two...three... what's this do... *presses button*
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : *door opens somewhere in Siberia* cue creepy music...
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : bit of backstory, I wrote music for a show called doctor who many many years ago back in the time when people had televisions
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : a text from my mum just came up saying she is taking a bath now, which has really ruined the epic tone I was setting
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : (I love you guys a lot, it was because of you that I worked on that little show all those years- just getting that off my chest)
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : also, I am not tweeting from my actual twitter account because I use that to talk whimsical nonsense-totally different from tonight. So I guess I tweet along while we all watch, which is kinda like watching ANYTHING with my dad who comments every 47 seconds to ask what's happening in the plot
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : right, I have just put my eldest daughter to bed. she's 3. I had to be cinderella for 40 minutes so I'm having a drink. Since leaving doctor who, I have become a father to two daughters- I'm not sure what that demonstrates...
- - - - - - - - - -
FARREN BLACKBURN : Hi everyone. Enjoy the ep. Not seen it myself since it broadcast.
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : I literally used to make multi track recorded music by pressing play on one machine at the same time as I pressed record on another- bit like we are about to do in 3 minutes...
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : I am nervous- why the hell am I nervous...it's not like we're performing this live..
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : are we ??????????
- - - - - - - - - -
KATE WALSHE : beer at the ready! let's do this! #FestivalOfOfferings
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : START!!!... finished
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : wait, it's not a race...
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : one of the GREAT pop songs ever written the specials
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : I met Terry hall once and told him that ‪
- - - - - - - - - -
FARREN BLACKBURN : That leaf was literally tied on then pulled with a string. Nightmare to shoot.
- - - - - - - - - -
FARREN BLACKBURN : The working Title of this ep btw was Alien Planet.
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : so this is what doctor who does- it's a musical episode which is so challenging already- and it starts with a mini epic story as a pre title with more music and emotions than most entire shows BEFORE THE TITLES
- - - - - - - - - -
KATE WALSHE : sharing a screen grab of my script - i love the little note showing that we weren't sure what ep or even what series it was going to be i can't quite remember why that was...



- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : I haven't seen this since 2013
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : WHERE WAS THE MIDDLE 8
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : I keep thinking how did they do this.
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : don't ask me...this show is ambitious...god damn
- - - - - - - - - -
FARREN BLACKBURN : Loved working with Jenna. She needed to be a match for The Doctor and it was so evident early in the shoot that she would be.
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : I really really really love matt smith
- - - - - - - - - -
KATE WALSHE : I forgot how cute Clara is [love-heart eyes emoji]
- - - - - - - - - -
CHRIS ANDERSON : I'm busy with official Old God business while this is all happening
- - - - - - - - - -
FARREN BLACKBURN : Really needed childlike awe in the performance here. Not bad given Matt and Jenna were just staring at a green screen!!
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : so...I think this is aging really well...
- - - - - - - - - -
FARREN BLACKBURN : The market was obviously inspired by Raiders, Star Wars, Casablanca amongst others!
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : never lose your energy writing for doctor who, never show tiredness, even if you've seen a crowded alien bazaar a million times, score it like you've never seen it before
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : excitement, pour love onto it, soak it with enthusiasm, f**k being cool drown it with hope
- - - - - - - - - -
KATE WALSHE : yay aliens! we sort of got free reign with this one as they needed so many!



- - - - - - - - - -
FARREN BLACKBURN : Hello Do'reen!
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : matt smith's hand work is outstanding...his hands are genuinely from another planet
- - - - - - - - - -
FARREN BLACKBURN : Emilia. What a star. Needed a child actor wise beyond her years and she was it.
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : so every episode I tried to score every beat- that means every change of emotion, every story moment
- - - - - - - - - -
CHRIS ANDERSON : The only one on the planet who didn't know who she was - alarm bells! Should have followed that up tbh
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : it's got a really good atmosphere thanks to Farren
- - - - - - - - - -
FARREN BLACKBURN : Emilia was the perfect old soul in a young body. Perfect for The Queen Of Years.
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : I have a special love for the episodes the fans didn't warm to...I am a contrarian anyway
- - - - - - - - - -
FARREN BLACKBURN : Love The Vigil. Sonic monsters. Styled their mouths on an old 40's radio. Gave them cool military coats and turned them into rockstars.
- - - - - - - - - -
KATE WALSHE : The Vigil are giving me serious sonic internet lag. My last tweet is taking an age to load! Here's a video of Sharna Rothwell working on the Vigil heads - they are so cool! Designed by Brooke Dibble, sculpt by Richard Martin & Sharna, art work by Rob Mayor
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : my name's merry- in comes the woodwind...bit Harry Potter that
- - - - - - - - - -
FARREN BLACKBURN : Jenna was great here. I gave her simple direction. To be the big sister.
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : ooh there's the song in the background
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : always sow the seed of the big theme before you hear it, then people think they recognise it, easier for them to love it...
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : Jesus, this is harder to watch now I have two daughters
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : I was a bawling mess with this show before that happened
- - - - - - - - - -
FARREN BLACKBURN : Choristers were inspired by Gary Oldman's Dracula
- - - - - - - - - -=
MURRAY GOLD : when we get to the little operatic bits I have very potent memories of hundreds of takes of voices none of them synchronising to any of the mouth movements on camera...
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : I love that neil cross wrote this episode
- - - - - - - - - -
CHRIS ANDERSON : This was quite an experience - I was singing on the day and additional (proper!) vocals added in post I believe!
- - - - - - - - - -
KATE WALSHE : Now I'm just going to bombard you with ALIENS! But you guys don't mind that, do you?
- - - - - - - - - -
KATE WALSHE : I am not sure now how many aliens we made (excluding the vigil, mummy, choristers etc) I think about 25??



- - - - - - - - - -
KATE WALSHE : This one was always my favourite. We called him "Bondage Fish" [crying with laughter emoji] This one was sculpted by @NeillGorton

‪  ‬

- - - - - - - - - -
KATE WALSHE : Some of them weren't quite so alien just a bit mutanty [speccy nerd-bot emoji]



- - - - - - - - - -
KATE WALSHE : we had too many so gave some of them really dumb names... this really beautiful one sculpted by Cliff Wallace we called "Anne" [crying with laughter emoji] [speccy nerd-bot ] [crying with laughter]

‪‬

- - - - - - - - - -
KATE WALSHE : This toothed faced fellow we helpfully called "Tooth Face" - hey, we're not writers!!!!! [crying with laughter emoji]



- - - - - - - - - -
KATE WALSHE : OOOH another fun nugget - we made an alien (I think we called him "Steve") that sat on a pile of pillows with bit long arms... those arms were cast from the same mould as Empress Rachnoss!



- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : neil is so tough, such a big strong character...this is what he wanted for doctor who
- - - - - - - - - -
FARREN BLACKBURN : So challenging to shoot an ep with a song that runs through so many scenes. Playback was vital to ensure actors could lip sync and stay in sync with each other.
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : this is the guy who created Luther...LOOK!
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : doctor who weaving its magic spell on all who come near it...
- - - - - - - - - -
KATE WALSHE : Ok so funny story with Do'reen! She was originally going to be the Skaldak puppet from Cold War repurposed! But a last minute change meant we produced a prosthetic for Karl Greenwood in a couple of days!



- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : crouch end festival chorus take a bow
- - - - - - - - - -
CHRIS ANDERSON : I was quite isolated for my part on the day so amazing to see how it all came together
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : I remember editing that moment where the singer gets freaked out a hundred times...
- - - - - - - - - -
FARREN BLACKBURN : Murray did a great job to ensure the long song remained melodic, shifted in tone and never became a dirge. The ep was hung on it in so many regards.
- - - - - - - - - -
FARREN BLACKBURN : Bit Flash Gordon but hey!
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : the combined brass of national orchestra of Wales
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : so usually I would have taken about 5 days to write the music up to this point
- - - - - - - - - -
FARREN BLACKBURN : Really really proud of this ep btw. Mammoth achievement and great it divided opinion #FestivalOfOfferings
- - - - - - - - - -

[daf]

Part 2

KATE WALSHE : Turned out so well! Loved Karl as Do'reen! #FestivalOfOfferings



- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : part of the great skill in writing this show is finding a way to get everyone running around in desperation by 20 minutes...
- - - - - - - - - -
KATE WALSHE : We did a few concepts for Merry and the Choristers! Here is ‪@Freyahargreaves‬, who worked on the episode for us, rocking some of the the concept looks!



- - - - - - - - - -
FARREN BLACKBURN : Ok Raiders moment. Sorry!!
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : when we came back in 2005, we were taking a show that used to have 4-6 episodes per story and compressing it- now there are shows which are 5 minutes and this feels like a movie
- - - - - - - - - -
CHRIS ANDERSON : Not sure if there was maybe a bit of pride that it ended with him? Whatever it was, he wasn't sticking around to witness the fallout
- - - - - - - - - -
FARREN BLACKBURN : The Old God needed to be clearly alien but not in a bug eyed way. We used Tollund man as a reference for his leathery preserved appearance.
- - - - - - - - - -
CHRIS ANDERSON : Think there was also maybe an alt with Matt doing the cuffs a la Daniel Craig?
- - - - - - - - - -
KATE WALSHE : BACK TO THE VIGIL! I LOVE THE VIGIL!!! The costumes were so cool!



- - - - - - - - - -
KATE WALSHE : Here are some concepts for the Vigil, final concept was by Brooke Dibble ‪@Brookeywook‬




- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : sorry I started watching with my mouth wide open and forgot I was commenting
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : the wide stance of the glass shattering yell
- - - - - - - - - -
FARREN BLACKBURN : Chris did a great job as the chorister and Aiden in the Old God costume was the sweetest man!!!
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : most characters don't have action music when they think, but with the doctor, his thought is action...that was always key to me
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : **'his' in this incarnation of the doctor of course
- - - - - - - - - -
KATE WALSHE : Here are a few wee behind the scenes of the build for the Vigil! I love them they are a bit Mignola/Hell Boy and I love it.



- - - - - - - - - -
KATE WALSHE : I feel I need a bit of time travel for my tweets as I'm a bit behind [crying with laughter emoji]
- - - - - - - - - -
FARREN BLACKBURN : Can't underestimate what it takes to shift from physical comedy to comic performance to serious drama. Matt Smith is a rare breed.
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : it's very low for Emilia- that's why she had to jump an octave mid line... of course by the time we found out the whole score had been recorded... works better the octave up, up there..
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : always wanted to make landscapes of sound- vistas of belief-waves of emotion like that's what the universe is made of...  unfortunately it's mostly barren, empty and totally impassive to everything we do...but let's pretend it isn't
- - - - - - - - - -
FARREN BLACKBURN : Matt was worried he might go too far with this speech. Was my job to provide a safety net for him to be brave, to take risks, knowing I had his back.
- - - - - - - - - -
KATE WALSHE : The Mummy might have been one of the first appearances on Doctor Who of the amazing Aiden Cook!!



- - - - - - - - - -
KATE WALSHE : Aiden of course has been a Cyberman, a Zygon & the creepy creature from "Hide"! A terror on screen but an absolute gent in real life.
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : and I come from an unashamedly rock n roll aesthetic with that...it's not really 'classical' as such- it's played by an orchestra, but it's aiming at the emotion of rock music...
- - - - - - - - - -
FARREN BLACKBURN : How good was that?
- - - - - - - - - -
FARREN BLACKBURN : Again. Jenna needed to be a match.
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : I like that little phrase of music there :)
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : I was never happy with anything once I'd done it
- - - - - - - - - -
FARREN BLACKBURN : Lovely writing from Neil Cross.
- - - - - - - - - -
KATE WALSHE : Here are some alternate designs for "The Mummy" which in the designs are called "The Old God" for obvious reasons [winky-face emoji]



- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : I was always trying to make it better
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : just wait for the next episode and rub my hands and say 'right, this time I'll nail it'
- - - - - - - - - -
FARREN BLACKBURN : The idea with this ep was that Clara really discovered what she was getting into as The Doctor's companion.
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : and now it's all unchangeable, locked in time, something I once did
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : holy moly- that was quick...
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : that could be a comment on the episode or everything I did on the show
- - - - - - - - - -
FARREN BLACKBURN : Really enjoyed watching and sharing. Hope you all did too?
- - - - - - - - - -
CHRIS ANDERSON : Very lucky to have been part of that really brilliant journey
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : and now it all falls quiet and the sound of that wonderful show gives way to the sounds of the little white noise machines by my daughters' beds...
- - - - - - - - - -
KATE WALSHE : More alien loveliness



- - - - - - - - - -
FARREN BLACKBURN : I know many didn't warm to this ep initially but it seems to have gathered great love and respect over time. Very thankful to you all and very proud of that. There's so much to it.
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : noisy wasn't it :) *drafts complaint letter to bbc*
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : right okay...what do I do now Emily ? *continues life as freelance electricity pylon erector*
- - - - - - - - - -
MURRAY GOLD : okay bye everyone...be safe and sound...miss you all, thanks Emily, thanks Steven, thanks Russell, it was the best thing ever...xx #FestivalOfOfferings
- - - - - - - - - -
KATE WALSHE : Some wee BTS videos of the two cyborgy sorts of aliens getting dressed. Again - more stupid names for these two chaps we called them "Nigel" and "Rusty" 
- - - - - - - - - -
KATE WALSHE : Testing the head fit on Rusty
- - - - - - - - - -
KATE WALSHE : ok FINAL alien spam guys

Emily Cook : Presenting THE LOCKDOWN LONG SONG CHOIR!

[Kelvin]

Terrible episode, but that fan choir song is very endearing.

[daf]

Can't open this myself (as I'm not on instagram), so I don't know if it's audio, video or text based, but sounds quite interesting -

The Amazing Russell T Davies speaks to Noel Clarke about his career, the shows that are considered benchmarks in his journey, Like Queer as folk, Second Coming, Casanova, Doctor Who, Cucumber and Years and Years.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CAqULbCBYex/

[Deanjam]

Can't open this myself (as I'm not on instagram), so I don't know if it's audio, video or text based, but sounds quite interesting -

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CAqULbCBYex/

It's video. Some of the hids previous ones are on youtube, so I presume this will too.

[Thomas]

I've not seen The Rings of Azithromycin since it was first broadcast, but that's an impressive array of alien designs, fair play.

[lipsink]

Yeah, the BIG SPEECH of that episode is kinda ruined by the fact that it's not actually clear what is going on. Is he taking his memories?

I do like the music though.

[daf]

Trailer

[daf]

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Tonight's tweeters :
RUSSELL T DAVIES : @russelldavies63
JAMES HAWES : @JamesEHawes [Director New Earth]
ANNA HOPE : @Anna_Hope [Novice Hame]
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Combined link : #NewNewYork

[daf]

RUSSELL T DAVIES : Bzzt. Klik! Covfefe. I'm back!
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : HELLO FAITHFUL VIEWER. Fancy a story about viruses being mishandled by lying, incompetent authorities? Here we go! #NewNewYork
- - - - - - - - - -
RICHARD CLARKE : Oh do you remember how we discussed keeping the man a mystery,‪ ‬@russelldavies63? Just feet and hands and suddenly... David!
- - - - - - - - - -
RICHARD CLARKE : That look between Rose and the Doctor! How excited are they???
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : RUNNING ORDER - we never knew whether to open with New Earth or Tooth & Claw. So somewhere in the vaults is an experimental edit - we ran this opening, saying goodbye to Jackie & Mickey. then the titles, then they arrived in Tooth & Claw. Only their clothes changed, you'd be surprised how few people would notice or care. And fans would assume they'd had offstage adventures for Big Finish! But T&C was just too dark for a series opener. I love a comedy opening. So we reverted back. But I always wonder! And where is that edit now?
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE : Oh my giddy aunt!! Here we go...been a while.... #NewNewYork
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : Oooo look! That's my name!
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : THE GOWER! I promised the team, "It's a micro-climate, the Head of the Meteorological Society chose to retire here...' Bah. The wind! Sorry!
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : It was so windy that day we nearly lost the Tardis off the cliff! I kid you not.
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : More applegrass at 8.45 pm in The Secret of Novice Hame, online. Starring Anna Hope with new music by Murray Gold. Novice Hame has a final secret to be told... but to whom?
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : The lawyers for the Dubai billowing-sail hotel got in touch to check the copyright on that hospital design... We passed the test! Phew.
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : So good they named it twice. What brilliant dialogue. Who wrote that?? [two quizzical faced emojis]
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : Ah. the Cardiff Opera House - turned into a hospital! Massive shoot days.
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : 5 billion years earlier, the Torchwood team fought off the Families on an identical beach on the Original Earth. It's a small universe.
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : THIS IS WHAT THE CAST SAW WHEN THEY CAME OUT OF THE LIFTS! CAN'T HAVE A WET CAMERA!! SPOT DAVID T!



- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : Chekhov's gun says that a gun introduced in the first act must be fired in the third act. My version of that is a disinfecting lift
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE : Ahh Adjoa Andoh. Legend. She was so lovely to me on set
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : DJOA! My old friend. I've worked with her tons, she was in Wizards vs Aliens and Cucumber. In fact, here she is...
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : The red patients and white patients = cheap FX!
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE : It's me!
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : I loved Anna Hope @Anna_Hope so much, the character of Hame and the beautiful voice. I was dying to bring her back! And she's back at 8.45 tonight for her final words.. BUT TO WHOM?!?
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE : ahhh thanks Russell. XXX
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : Ah hello! Can't wait for people to see the new story tonight xxx
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE : It sounds like I've got a cold, but it was actually the mask.. and the teeth...made it hard to enunciate! It took around 3 to 4 hours every morning in make-up for the prosthetic to be put on.
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : If Zoe Wanamaker hadn't been free to return in the live-action Cassandra scenes, we would have re-cast and this would have been her sister, Lusitania. But she was so happy to join us! Hooray
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : This is the Series 2 running order released on 25/4/2005. Body Swap - New Earth (and Old Friends = School Reunion, Parallel World is the Cybermen story, I Love The Doctor = Love & Monsters,.1920's never happened)



- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : This was Billie's Birthday. Here she is in down time...



- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : Hello Blondie!!!
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : There we were in the cellars of a Cardiff mansion in 35 degree heat!
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : In a long-running show. you have to push the leads. Find them new things to do. Challenges. So after many episodes of upset-crying-Rose, it was time for COMEDY! Push the actors and they love coming into work. And Billie CONQUERS these scenes
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : Oh and the colour of the plasma bags was quite an inspiration
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : And tonight, funnily enough, Novice Hame has a secret of her own at 8.45, have i mentioned?! [smiley-face emoji] But who will she say it to???
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : Those cat nun nurses - who ever would think that up?? They were stuck in those prosthetics for 16 hours!
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : I spent a long time wondering if bringing Cassandra back was too continuity-laden for a new series. I worried over nothing!
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : Billie loved playing the multiple versions of her!
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : Phil Collinson and i loved the dirty Duke. Here's Phil...



- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : Lucy Robinson played the hospital manager brilliantly. She terrified the director...that would be me.
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : That solution again...
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : What we could do with some NunNurseCat medicine now
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : DESIGN by Ed Thomas. Love this. Sinister green!
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : Oh those pods...It was terrifying having people locked in there. We had a crisis one day when a door got stuck... Poor extra!
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : This has to be the best toy ever... How mad?!?



- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : Adam and Eve it!!! And now the snog....
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : Oh there were cheers on set!!!
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : Not from me. Disgusting
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : SYNOPSIS for New Earth. This was released 25/4/2005, mainly for design and FX costs

‪  ‬

- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : And then this in a desolate factory in Newport... No lack of ambition on my episodes!
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : God why is this so terrifyingly resonant in our current pandemic, huh??
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : 12 months earlier, UK sci-fi on TV was a complete unknown, and doomed to die. One year later, just one year, and cat nurse nuns, zombie patients and body-swapping divas are at the top of the ratings. I never forget what remarkable days. Glorious! Good old Doctor Who
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : David checking his screwdriver continuity...
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE : Facing up to the Doctor!
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : God they are good at flirtinG!
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE : Oh my god those sleeves. I forgot about the sleeves. They were pretty full on.
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : @JamesEHawes d'you remember, this was a block of THREE! With Christmas Invasion and School Reunion. We NEVER did that again, the production was vast, we knackered you!! (And you triumphed)
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : I remember very very well. What a block. So varied. Such huge ambition. I was 21 when I started and 93 a few months later. Set Mister Tenant up OK though, didn't we?
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : The Cat Nuns were soooo patient!
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : The wide shots of this base are filmed in the same place as the Nestene Lair
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : Can you imagine telling this kind of story? It was so so new in 2005
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : How's this for a zombie apocalypse? ‪#NewNewYork
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : As Murray Gold always says... 25 minutes in to my scripts and everyone starts running!
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : Cardiff has not seen the like before or since, even on opera gala nights.
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : @JamesEHawes is too modest to tell you, but he's just directed Snowpiercer, new on Netflix!
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : BTW - you all need to be watching SNOWPIERCER on Netflix. I directed the opening and closing episodes and ran the series so you know you wanna!
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : And when they start running, @russelldavies63, they have to keep running, run faster, double back, run up, run down...
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : "Quarantine"!!! Would I direct this show now??? I am not sure!!
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : They should have self isolated
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE : Yikes. That's genuinely scary. I'm now behind the sofa.
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : Oh Chip....
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE : Can I come out yet?
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : Every hospital the same - always a terrifying cellar even when it is flash up stairs...
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : BROAD comedy now. Camp body-swapping shenanigans. Just consider how risky that is. Not easy at all; big risk for ep.1 of a new season. And David and Billie GRAB it. That's talent, not giving a toss about the risk and running with it. Nothing cautious or safe
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : Now David loved this scene a little toooo much!
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : See - it does not have to be dark to be scary!
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : That lift shaft took forever to shoot..That RTD and his big finishes... [eye-rolly-face emoji]
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : Nothing like a little bit of pink plasma!
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : Lucy Robinson as Frau Clovis. She was in a soap I created called Revelations. She was the innocent, marrying a bisexual heroin addict; she was then murdered by her mother-in-law, the bishop's wife, Judy Loe. Murder by embolism! LOVE THAT SHOW
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : Lucy was brilliant - such a pro on the set and adapting to all our production crises.
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : The lift shaft: one of my favourite sequences. This is me discovering my love of vertical action. All of life goes left to right. Go vertical and it's exciting! The whole of Gridlock is about to be built on that principle
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : Oh that gadget for zip wire magic... I wanted to take it home. Here it is on top of the director's monitor
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : In the first draft, the potions killed the patients. Bit grim. And Steven Moffat said, you love slaughtering your characters! So I decided on a happy ending. Which makes the Cassandra ending all the more bittersweet
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : Oh and how it messed my head planning all those different sets and shafts and corridors...
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : Herd immunity
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : Herd immunity
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : Ha! @russelldavies63 SNAP!!
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : We both did that joke!!
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : Hours and hours and hours in make-up - and that was just for the director...
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : Poor Novica Hame. But she will return. And then return again, tonight, at 8.45, with a final, terrible secret to be told on the clifftops of New earth... BUT TO WHOM???
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : They are hugging. I would love a hug.
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE : Oh wow. A hug looks especially moving in the age of Corona.
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : And Captain Jack fades away...
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : Bo!!!!
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : Enigmatic . I laughed out loud on that line...
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : Sean Gallagher is amazing at the end. Arch, funny, scared, dying, what a performance. I once worked with him on a sitcom called The House of Windsor, directed by Graeme Harper... it was ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE. I changed my name and called myself Leo Vaughn!!! Hah!
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : Those two actors together. What a joy
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : "Walking doodle" @russelldavies63 I need your scripts again
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : Oh God, let's! xxx
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : Cassandra's party is a bar in Cardiff Bay. There's lovely. (That's not the name of the bar, but it should be.)
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE : Quite mesmerised by that last scene. Great acting.
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : Look at that fabulous hospital set...
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : So Cassandra dies in her own arms, the last person to tell herself she was beautiful... so she dedicates her life to pursuing that beauty, because of what she said, creating the Cassandra that we know. TIMEY BLOODY WIMEY FOLKS
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : And then the down town bar. Loved that location...and my one scene with @ZoeWanamaker
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : (Bar is on Cardiff Bay. Went there a lot afterwards) DON;T TELL.
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : So much emotion in this episode...
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : Ahhh. LOVE IT. Thank you @JamesEHawes, you're a genius xxx
- - - - - - - - - -
JAMES HAWES : Sir - only with your words. What a joy. I may have to crack a bottle now.
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE : Blimey. That was intense. He's quite good that @russelldavies63 isn't he?
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : I properly loved that. We got away with it on BBC One primetime and won the ratings, it's astonishing! The nerve! HAPPY DAYS xxx
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE : Never forget my agent calling and telling me I had the part of Novice Hame. And that David was going to be the Doctor. I remember it so clearly. I was walking along the Southbank in London. I jumped up and down. And then Phil Collinson coming onto set in Cardiff and telling us that we were part of something much bigger than we knew. And the first sheaf of fanmail arriving on my doorstep. An unbelievable thrill. #NewNewYork
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : Ahhh, amazing! Happy days xxx
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE :  Right. I might need a glass of red for ‪#Gridlock.‬
- - - - - - - - - -

[daf]

RUSSELL T DAVIES : HELLO FAITHFUL VIEWER. Fancy a story about everyone trapped inside while a killer virus rampages?! Here we go... #NewNewYork
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : Sally Calypso is a clear reference to Swifty Frisco from one of this story's inspirations, The Ballad of Halo Jones. If you haven't read it... go go GO!!
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : Ma and Pa are dressed like the painting American Gothic. Why? I wanted wild references in this, comic books, art, punk, cartoons, Japan, everything, anything, so it's a mad, bristling, teeming city
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : Here, the Doctor lies about Gallifrey. And set the whole plot in motion, his motivation. Truth is, I like pushing that character. I don't have much time for character descriptions like 'never cruel or cowardly.' Sorry. But never limit your lead
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE : Nun with a gun.
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE : I remember being very pleased the sleeves were less voluminous.
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : We couldn;'t afford FX here to show a metal sky above, so high it's got clouds and rain; the sealed-off roof of the Undercity. Eventually, they did that on World Enough and Time, I was like, "That's it, damn it!!" ‪
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : Oh, gimme some Happy
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : THE ORIGIN OF GRIDLOCK. I wanted to go to New New York, as promised. And I wanted to do the Masque of the Red Death, with Frau Clovis running it as Entz Manager. All the rich folk above the city, in an endless debauched party, while beneath them the undercity had been devoured by giant crabs, literally gnawing at the concrete underpinning the city. That evolved over time, and turned on its head, the rich dead, the undercity alive. Why? I suppose i didn't care much about the rich! But that's the origin of the virus, the Red Death in the original story is the plague. Funny how stories bleed through, no matter how much things change
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : I love the fact that Milo's car has a jar of pickled eggs on board
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : OBVIOUSLY this is inspired by 2000AD... but also by that episode of One Foot In The Grave where the Meldrews and Mrs Warboys are stuck in a traffic jam. Truly, not kidding, it's a genius piece of writing
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE : Love Ardal O'Hanlon
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : Ardal, I cast him again in Cucumber, I love him. And Jennifer Hennessy was in The Second Coming and Wizards vs Aliens, she's amazing
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : I think Gary Gillat invented the term Broken Switch stories. Where the danger isn't from evil or greed, but a system running automatically and damaging the thing it's meant to protect. Like the Chula, and the Clockwork droids. New New York is a broken switch!
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE : These two ladies are brilliant.
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : Aren't they glorious?! xx
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE : Amazing. X
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE : This is brilliant. I'm totally engrossed.
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : We had long, worried Tone Meeting conversations about how to afford the car windows, cos we couldn't VFX the view on every single shot. In the end, we went for that Car Share solution, smearing the windows. It works!
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : I love the fact all the drivers KNOW the system has gone wrong, but never talk about it. Lovely performances
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : RUGGED CROSS: I could write forever about why this hymn is here. But I'll leave you to think about it. But notice: once the hymn is sung, everything changes. It's the turning-point. It is literally transformative
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : This episode was nominated for an Epiphany Award in America. Which made this old atheist laugh. Although, shame on me, thank you
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : And now, just as i began in New Earth... VERTICAL ACTION. This is phenomenally directed
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : I love this story because the motorway breaks down the divide between CG and live action. Most FX work is a green-screen with a cast saying 'Look!' But here, they live in the FX and the FX decide their lives. I felt like i'd crossed a barrier and learnt something
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : Javit's car is the perviest thing i ever wrote for Doctor Who. A leather cat with two vestal virgins on board? What do they DO in that car?! Love it
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE : love this.
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : LOVE the Businessman. Pure 200AD, he's Max Normal
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE : I LOVED saying that line.
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : Why the Macra? Well, i remember the Macra Terror as a kid. Truly. I was so scared! And sometimes, you want to do something purely for the fans. It's a gift!
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : Martha uses the silent running rules. Love that sci-fi film, Hewey, Dewey and Louie
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : People often tell me that 'devolve' doesn't mean its usage here. But it does, that's BECOMING the usage. Words change. Don't fight it, you won't win
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE : Yayyyy!!! I got to teleport the DOCTOR
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : What? There was a virus? And the people in charge lied? And thousands died? This is beyond belief
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE : Blimey @russelldavies63 this is all a bit prescient.
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : So... why does Captain Jack looks like that after 5 billion years? The question is, why not? Have you seen how your ears keep growing, your nose? After FIVE BILLION YEARS, extraordinary changes must happen. And here they are!
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : Now, just like the Rugged Cross, it's Martha's faith in the Doctor that becomes transformative; she sets the plot heading for the climax
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : God, Murray's music [eight red hearts]
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT. Sorry to hijack Gridlock. But I have news. For years, the version of Last of the Time Lords on Netflix UK has been the WRONG ONE. The short one. The episode ran over-length happily on BBC One, but had to be edited down for international sales. And that accidentally became the Netflix version. Missing the opening Space Lane broadcast, Francine and the gun, etc. It bugged me! So a few months ago, I had a word with Chris Chibnall. And he got it fixed! Which was a surprising amount of work. All sorts of technical shenanigans. Thank you, Chris! It's always been correct on the iPlayer but now it's restored on Netflix UK too. Hooray! But i wonder.. what version has HBO Max got now?! Yikes. Anyway, back to the chase...
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : By the way. HBO Max has now launched in America...and as far as I know, it's the only streaming service in the world that's got Doctor Who, Torchwood AND The Sarah Jane Adventures. Hooray!
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE : I remember being so nervous before filming those big scenes with David. I kept fumbling my lines. He was totally brilliant from take 1. What a treat to work with him.
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : Dying Boe was hard to shoot because he has no real body, he's a sheet of rubber! So this was a completely new build, a lot more expensive than we'd reckoned. But Neill Gorton and team were amazing. LOVE THAT TEAM
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : And soon, very soon, Novice Hame will speak her final secret... BUT TO WHOM?????? Online 8.45, with Anna Hope as Hame and a special guest star
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE : I was so properly moved. Real tears. David crying. Crazy. Just holding a strange prosthetic tentacle in my hands.
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : really, really, really worried about YANA, because Cilla in Coronation Street had a mate called Yana. It was like calling a secret Vera. And in the end... it didn't matter at all
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : Now just look at these two. In a wet alleyway. Freema, so wonderful. David, an actor at the peak of his powers. What a joy, what an honour, what a privilege, what a big bloody laugh we had
- - - - - - - - - -
RUSSELL T DAVIES : Wow. thank you. That's my last tweetalong. I have loved it. And @Emily_Rosina has been the most amazing producer. seriously brilliant and tough and so much fun! Now go and watch the secret of Novice Hame... Thanks everyone! Stay well! #NewNewYork
- - - - - - - - - -

THE SECRET OF NOVICE HAME - Written by Russell T Davies. Starring Anna Hope, with music by Murray Gold

ANNA HOPE : Wow, that made me cry. What an exquisite piece you wrote @russelldavies63
- - - - - - - - - -
Steve Maggs : Gosh, that's powerful drama. What a cast & what a subject matter - death. Russell writes with such beauty. For a man who says he's an atheist, it's extraordinarily spiritual. Like much of his writing. And I'd like to ask him more, but perhaps it's another secret that must wait.
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE : I agree.
- - - - - - - - - -
ANNA HOPE :  Thanks so much for having me along. I found that such a powerful experience. @Emily_Rosina @russelldavies63
- - - - - - - - - -

[Malcy]

That video is so good. I really really enjoyed it. Made me a bit emotional. Thought it was beautifully written . Wish RTD would do more Who stuff.

[mjwilson]

Last one is going to be World Enough and Time/The Doctor Falls, next Saturday at 6pm.

[Norton Canes]

Heh. "Men, women and animals".

[Mango Chimes]

Fuck, that's great! I'm increasingly, perhaps delusionally and wishfully, thinking Russell is coming back to Doctor Who not just in these snippets.

EDIT: Also, "RUSSELL T DAVIES : Here, the Doctor lies about Gallifrey. And set the whole plot in motion, his motivation. Truth is, I like pushing that character. I don't have much time for character descriptions like 'never cruel or cowardly.' Sorry. But never limit your lead"

[Thomas]

I like seeing RTD and Moffat highlight the conflicts in their storytelling choices and styles - especially as they seem totally friendly and respectful of each other. I enjoy their different takes on the Time War, and what the Doctor would or wouldn't do. I think RTD is especially good at character stuff, but Moffat's novelisation of The Day of the Doctor really demonstrates the level of thought he's put into the Doctor. It's great.

I do, however, think that 'never cruel or cowardly' is a limit the character sets him/herself, rather than an external limit set by any writer. We've seen it played with and flouted at times for the sake of drama.

Don't limit your lead - but it's quite interesting if they try to limit themselves and struggle.

[Mango Chimes]

I do, however, think that 'never cruel or cowardly' is a limit the character sets him/herself, rather than an external limit set by any writer.

I think it's been set by Chibnall and Whittaker has taken it on, in both cases more fully than they should.

[Replies From View]

Chibnall's version of the character lives by the motto "Always Shittily Written".

[Malcy]

More Moffat scripts added to the writers room including an early draft for 'The Pilot' called 'A Star In Her Eye'.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/scripts/tv-drama/doctor-who

[Ambient Sheep]

The final tweetalong has been cancelled (or possibly postponed).  Statement in a picture here:

https://twitter.com/Emily_Rosina/status/1268270120981446665

No explicit reason given ("After careful consideration, out of respect for the feelings of Doctor Who fans around the world, we won't be going ahead with the tweetalong this weekend.  It doesn't seem appropriate at this time.") but from reading the replies it seems to be because of Bill

Spoiler alert

being shot in the chest

[close]

[nb]Spoilered just in case by some slim chance someone here hasnt seen it.  Hey, it's possible, I've still not seen half of Matt Smith's seasons.[/nb] and her subsequent fate.

[Mister Six]

Hooray, more Pearl Mackie! She's great.

[Ambient Sheep]

Yes, that is the upside, but then we'd have been getting that anyway.

[Replies From View]

Kind of bad that the finale for series 8 has roughly the same issue.

[Replies From View]

Spoilered just in case by some slim chance someone here hasnt seen it.  Hey, it's possible, I've still not seen half of Matt Smith's seasons.

I used to think it was a bit bonkers that any massive fan would skip a great chunk of the Doctor's adventures, but I completely understand that position now that we're in the Chibnall era.

All series 12 did was waste my time, pretty much.  It was a mind-numbing conduit for gratuitously aggravating exposition.  The one friend of mine in real life who is into Doctor Who couldn't be arsed with series 12 from the beginning, and by the time the finale ended I told her to not bother catching up and just read the summaries on Wikipedia if she could even be arsed to do that.

Nothing is calling me back for series 13.  It's sad.  Any development of the idiotic retrofitting I can read about in these threads and elsewhere without missing any drama because there is none to miss.

[M-CORP]

Re the cancelled watch along: Would've personally stuck to the plan and gone ahead, but that's just me and I understand why it got called off. Besides, now I can take part in the Caves Of Androzani watch along; that's one of the best from the 80s certainly.

Something I found interesting - I noticed Emily Cook saying in the message that despite the cancellation we'd still be getting something called 'The Best Of Days', presumably the planned special feature. It was said that relevant companions Pearl Mackie and Matt Lucas would feature. I noticed Claudia Boleyn in the comments (from DWM's most recent and controversial Time Team) saying that they shouldn't release the thing because Matt Lucas blacked up on TV years ago and is therefore a racist. Yeah, I thought that was a bit much, but like I said, just me.

Re series 13: To be honest I've given up on it. We won't be getting it in the immediate future. It will be early 2022 at the earliest (I may be at university by then), and even then various restrictions on telly-making (social distancing, skeleton crews, studio-bound, actors doing their own make up and so on) will make doing a whole series of decent quality unfeasible. I think given all the recent announcements about Time Lord Victorious that the BBC realise the Whittaker era isn't a success, and if I were them the logical thing (especially as money is tight to the point that BBC Four is being watered down) would be to put the show on ice until things die down - after all a relaunch is always going to be a necessity anyway with Who being off the air for so long.

[Mister Six]

Re series 13: To be honest I've given up on it.

I wouldn't have bothered if it weren't for the discussion on here.

Saying the mini episode shouldn't be released because Matt Lucas did blackface once 25 years ago is stupid, obviously.