News

A Doctor Who story scrapped from the classic series is finally being produced 35 years later. Big Finish has announced a full-cast audio drama based on the lost Doctor Who serial "Alixion."

Robin Mukherjee was set to make history as the first person of color to write a Doctor Who story in a planned 1990 season that was axed by the BBC amidst falling ratings. The Seventh Doctor Serial would have seen "The Professor" (McCoy) and his companion Ace (Sophie Aldred) checking into a luxury spa, only to find themselves in the middle of another intergalactic entity's bid for interplanetary domination. This being, known as The Queen of the Hive, is able to exploit The Doctor and Ace's own memories by using their darkest fears in order to steal the Time Lord's regenerative life force.

Big Finish Is Producing a Lost Seventh Doctor Serial

Mukherjee reflected on the importance of "Alixion" in his career,...

Mark Gatiss is known primarily for his role in the BBC’s modern adaption of Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. Gatiss played Mycroft Holmes in the adaptation created by former Doctor Who showrunner Stephen Moffat, with whom he co-wrote the series - and with whom he may be working on a revival.

Gatiss is known for his acting career, but he’s contributed heavily to British television with involvement in major shows such as already mentioned Sherlock, Dracula, and Doctor Who. Of the latter show, Gatiss has not returned to write for the sci-fi series since 2017, and now fans can know why, per Radio Times.

Related Doctor Who Newcomer Teases Christmas Special's 'Unlikely Pairing' With Ncuti Gatwa

Doctor Who guest star Nicola Coughlan has teased that there’s a “really unlikely pairing” at the heart of the Christmas special “Joy to the World”.

Gatiss’ involvement With Doctor Who...

Tom Baker offers an honest and unflinching recollection of his departure from Doctor Who and his regrets about leaving the Fourth Doctor behind. A more eccentric and eclectic take on the Time Lord than his three predecessors, Baker helmed the Tardis from 1974 to 1981, facing Daleks, Cybermen, Sontarans, and aliens posing as Egyptian Gods of Death. Alongside reprising his role in Big Finish audio dramas and various additional projects, Baker would return to portray the mysterious Currator in the final moments of Doctor Who's 50th-anniversary special in 2013.

In a rare interview with Radio Times Magazine, Baker reflected on his Doctor Who departure. While still holding the role in high regard to this day, the actor regretted letting go of the role after seven seasons. Baker also admitted that he was difficult to work with, which he attributed to his own insecurity about the impact playing the Doctor had left on...

Peter Capaldi’s stance on a possible return to Doctor Who places him in the same boat as Tom Baker and Christopher Eccleston. Peter Capaldi joined a long line of actors who played “Doctor Who” as he appeared in the British sci-fi show from 2014-2017 as the Twelfth Doctor. As of 2024, the Time Lord has gone through three regenerations since, and Ncuti Gatwa was cast as the Fifteenth Doctor for season 14. Considering most actors can only dream of playing the famous character, it is surprising that Peter Capaldi has stated that he doesn’t want to return to Doctor Who.

Doctor Who is confirmed to return for season 15 in May 2025 under its new network, Disney+. The show previously aired on BBC from 2005 onwards and encompassed the reign of Peter Capaldi, who delivered the oldest version of the Doctor since Classic Doctor Who. Capaldi also appeared in Doctor Who before being cast as the Twelfth Doctor,...

A new glimpse at Doctor Who's upcoming 2024 Christmas special "Joy to the World" has been unveiled by the BBC, teasing Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor facing a terrifying prehistoric threat. Set in a hotel full of time-travelling rooms, the adventure is penned by former showrunners Steven Moffat and follows the events of season 14. While Gatwa's Doctor will be travelling alone following him parting ways with Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson), he will soon be joined by Bridgerton's Nicola Coughlan as guest companion Joy.

The official Doctor Who YouTube channel has shared a new clip from "Joy to the World" following it's premiere during the BBC Children in Need telethon event.

In the clip, The Doctor and Joy investigate a terrifying new contraption developed by Villengard from season 14's "Boom", though a surprise guest interferes...

This is a developing story...

Source: Doctor Who

Doctor Who 5/10

The latest season of Doctor Who introduces the Fifteenth Doctor,...

Doctor Who is well-known for its celebratory multi-Doctor stories, but 1985's "The Two Doctors" shows just how not to do this kind of adventure. Most Doctor Who multi-Doctor stories come in anniversary years, a pattern set by 1973's "The Three Doctors" and still followed by the 2005 relaunch. Russell T. Davies went even further with Doctor Who's 60th anniversary, literally bringing back David Tennant as the main Doctor.

1985's "The Two Doctors," which aired during Colin Baker's tenure as the Sixth Doctor, is something of an anomaly. Producer John Nathan-Turner was keen to do another multi-Doctor story after the success of "The Five Doctors," but writer Robert Holmes produced one of the strangest scripts he ever penned for the classic series. A location shoot in Seville, Spain, turned into such a catastrophe that Doctor Who wouldn't film overseas again for decades. But, ultimately, the problems with "The Two Doctors...

The Tenth Doctor and Rose's emotional goodbye at Bad Wolf Bay resonates with fans even after nearly 20 years, as displayed in a beautiful new piece of Doctor Who art. Their bittersweet relationship stood out due to their deep bond and unresolved emotions, making it a memorable moment in the long-running sci-fi show. Rose's departure marked one of the Doctor's early failures in the series, highlighting the complexities of their relationship.

As audiences await the next chapter of the show's current era, a new piece of Doctor Who art is looking back on the Tenth Doctor and Rose Tyler's emotional goodbye. Rose was the first companion of the series' revival, portrayed by Billie Piper and starring alongside both Christopher Eccleston's Ninth Doctor and David Tennant's Tenth Doctor in its first two seasons, before returning in season 4. The Tenth Doctor and Rose grew closer in season 2, leading to a...

The worst thing that could possibly happen to a Doctor Who fan is for the show to be cancelled again. Or for it to be broadcast again. Depends who you ask, really.

Despite the advent of the 15th Doctor and the anticipation that brings, there are nagging doubts abroad concerning the show’s future. And that’s fair enough, really. Some fans are just naturally pessimistic, some remember previous crushed hopes around Doctor Who’s wilderness years, and some just look at the state of TV streaming and feel that pessimism is a fairly realistic outlook. It’s also not unreasonable to be concerned that David Tennant is kicking around somewhere, especially given that it was raised by the host during Gatwa’s recent appearance on The Graham Norton Show.

Then there are the folk who simply don’t like Russell T Davies’ writing on Doctor Who. A previous line...

Neil Patrick Harris brings a lively and entertaining performance as the Toymaker in Doctor Who's 60th anniversary special "The Giggle." The Toymaker's backstory and powers have been expanded upon in this special, including his ability to create a realm and manipulate reality. The Toymaker's return introduces new possibilities for Doctor Who's canon and allows for the exploration of new adventures with the classic Doctors.

Warning: Contains Spoilers for Doctor Who - "The Giggle"

Neil Patrick Harris played the classic Doctor Who villain, the Toymaker, opposite David Tennant's Fourteenth Doctor in "The Giggle", the last of 2023's 60th-anniversary specials. The Toymaker had only appeared once before in the history of Doctor Who, but left a lasting impression on fans. 1980s executive producer John Nathan-Turner's plan to bring back the Toymaker for season 23 was foiled by the show's brief cancelation in 1985. Decades later, and three years before "The Giggle...

It’s Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary month, which calls for two things: celebration, and admin. Fittingly, here’s an administrative celebration of the BBC show, featuring every season/series that’s aired so far. After a six-tab Excel file and a lot of overthinking, it’s a big ol’ list arranging each of Doctor Who’s individual runs in reverse order of excellence.

(A note on methodology: this list does not include runs of Doctor Who specials or the TV movie, and Christmas specials are included under the entries for their relevant series.)

There’s good stuff everywhere in Doctor Who. Sometimes it can take a bit of digging to find it, but much of the time, you hardly even have to look – it’s just there, posing as the Commissioner from Sirius 4, or asking “Do I have the right?”. What follows is an attempt to arrange each season...

Doctor Who's latest chapter, Tales from the Tardis, revisits the series' golden years while infusing it with emotional depth and modern touches. The show's abandonment of the "no hanky panky" rule allows for more authentic character dynamics and moments of affection. This shift towards emotional openness strengthens Doctor Who's appeal and marks a significant chapter in the show's history.

Warning: This article contains Tales from the Tardis spoilers.In the ever-evolving landscape of Doctor Who, the iconic British series has taken a recent turn that spotlights its growth from a stringent past. Known for its gallivanting through space and time, the beloved show is breaking down its own historical barriers, particularly one peculiar rule that harkens back to the 1980s.

Per Screen Rant, the latest chapter in the Whovian saga, Tales from the Tardis, revisits the series' golden years with a twist, uniting the venerable Doctors and their companions...

Contains spoilers for Tales of the Tardis, ‘Earthshock’, ‘The Three Doctors’, ‘Resurrection of the Daleks’, ‘The War Games’, ‘The Trial of a Time Lord’, ‘The Dalek Invasion of Earth’, ‘Survival’ and The Sarah Jane Adventures.

It’s not even November 25th and already we’re looking for Easter Eggs. Then again time has no meaning in a Remembered Tardis, the enigmatic location for Tales of the Tardis. What is Tales of the Tardis? I’m glad you asked. There are no stupid questions here, despite the best efforts of the comments section (I’m joking. Probably). Tales of the Tardis (I should probably put that on my clipboard now) is a new series of Doctor Who stories, edited to omnibus length with no episode breaks and bookended by appearances from characters connected to the stories. We went into more detail about it here.

A Remembered Tardis appears to be some...

Warning: Contains Spoilers for Tales from the Tardis

"Tales from the Tardis" brilliantly reunites Doctors and companions, staying true to their respective eras while adding emotional nuance. Russell T Davies mocks the outdated "no hugging in the Tardis" rule from the 1980s, highlighting the emotional coldness of classic Doctor Who. The breaking of the "no hugging" rule in modern Doctor Who brought realism and emotional impact to the show, making the Doctor-companion relationships feel more genuine.

Doctor Who has mocked a strange and incredibly outdated rule from the 1980s period of the classic series, overseen by producer John Nathan-Turner. The new spinoff Tales from the Tardis reunites Doctors and companions from the classic era to remember their past adventures. The new scenes, written by Russell T Davies, Pete McTighe, and Phil Ford brilliantly stay true to the spirit of each respective era while bringing them more in line with the...

Peter Davison regrets not working with the other Doctor actors more in Doctor Who's 20th-anniversary episode due to the creative's concerns about egos and rivalry on set. "The Five Doctors" remains a standout episode in Doctor Who's history, bringing together multiple Doctors, companions, and iconic foes. While the Fifth Doctor didn't have much screen time with his predecessors, "The Five Doctors" still allowed for a showcase of each incarnation and remains a memorable celebration of Doctor Who.

Fifth Doctor actor Peter Davison shares his one regret about filming Doctor Who's 20th-anniversary story, "The Five Doctors." The actor portrayed the fifth incarnation of the Time Lord from 1982 to 1984, facing Daleks, Cybermen, and the seedy underworld of the galaxy across three seasons until he sacrificed his life in 1984's "The Caves of Androzani." Davison soon united with previous Doctor actors Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, and newcomer Richard Hurndall in...

Doctor Who's anniversaries have opened the door to some of the most exciting stories. Among the mesmerizing runs in the show's history is Season 20, which stars Peter Davison's Doctor. This classic release of Fifth Doctor serials is due to be released on Blu-ray on September 18th, leading fans to debate which of these stories is the greatest.

Doctor Who's 20th Season contains a few of the series' biggest thrills. Made to celebrate the show's 20th anniversary, these lively adventures contain many returning characters from its long history, ensuring that it would become a season adored by fans. IMDb users have delivered their verdict on the 20th-anniversary celebrations, which have become an unforgettable part of Doctor Who's past.

Related: 10 Best Steven Moffat Doctor Who Episodes

The King's Demons - 6.3 Episodes 21 And 22

The Master has long been one of the deadliest Doctor Who villains. The John Nathan-Turner era...

Doctor Who actor Sylvester McCoy reveals that plans for his Doctor's fourth season were scrapped, which would have delved into the mystery of the Doctor's origins. Seventh Doctor's fourth season would have hinted that the Doctor was more than just a Time Lord and had a secret, powerful identity. Despite the cancellation, the storyline behind the origins of the Doctor was explored in other formats, such as novels, and McCoy's comments highlight the creative efforts to keep Doctor Who intriguing during difficult times.

Seventh Doctor actor Sylvester McCoy opens up about scrapped plans for the fourth season of Doctor Who featuring his incarnation. The actor took over the role from Colin Baker, made his debut in 1987's "Time and the Rani," and became the final actor to portray the character before the show's original cancellation in 1989. McCoy's Seventh Doctor is on the surface a more comical figure but hides...

Doctor Who actor Sylvester McCoy originally went for the role of the Sixth Doctor before landing the role of the Time Lord's Seventh incarnation.

In an interview with Radio Times, McCoy opened up about his attempt to become the Sixth Doctor following the departure of Peter Davison's Fifth Doctor. "When Peter Davison was leaving, before Colin [Baker] came in, I got in touch with my agent and said, ‘Peter Davison’s leaving, shall we try and see [about] the Doctor?’" he revealed. However, as McCoy notes, by this point Colin Baker had been cast as the Sixth Doctor: "They’d already cast Colin so I’d given up."

Related: The BBC Celebrates Doctor Who's 60th Anniversary with a Season 1-4 Blu-Ray Set

McCoy went on to explain how Doctor Who producer John Nathan-Turner cast him as the Seventh Doctor. "And then, two years later, Colin was leaving so again I...

Doctor Who reveals the first detailed look at the Fourteen Doctor's new sonic screwdriver as David Tennant returns as the Time Lord. Tennant will star as a new incarnation of the Doctor to celebrate the 60th-anniversary of the long-running sci-fi series. The actor will be reunited with returning showrunner Russell T Davies, Catherine Tate, and several other stars from his Tenth Doctor tenure in three special episodes airing in the fall.

Following the reveal of a new poster featuring Tennant's Fourteenth Doctor, the official Doctor Who Twitter account has formally revealed the latest model of the sonic screwdriver that the enigmatic new incarnation will wield across the upcoming anniversary specials. Check out the video below:

A new sonic has arrived...

Doctor Who has once again hinted at a romantic relationship between 1980s companions Tegan (Janet Fielding) and Nyssa (Sarah Sutton), potentially reversing a possible retcon from the Jodie Whittaker era. Russell T Davies' special webisode, "Farewell, Sarah Jane" was designed to say goodbye to the character of Sarah Jane Smith and pay tribute to actress Elisabeth Sladen, featuring many returning companions. The short revealed that Tegan and Nyssa had entered into a romantic relationship at some later point after leaving the Tardis. It's unclear how this was possible, given that Nyssa had been left on the space station Terminus in the far future, while Tegan left the Tardis in 1980s London.

Regardless of this complication, Doctor Who fans were perturbed when this surprise romance wasn't acknowledged when Tegan returned in "The Power of the Doctor" opposite Jodie Whittaker. She revealed that she'd "seen off two ex-husbands" but didn't mention Nyssa.

Bonnie Langford's Mel was a divisive companion during her first Doctor Who era, but Mel's return is actually a really smart move by showrunner Russell T Davies. Mel will be joining Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor and Millie Gibson's Ruby in Doctor Who season 14, due to air in 2024. Mel will be the third returning 1980s Doctor Who companion since both Tegan Jovanka (Janet Fielding) and Ace (Sophie Aldred) returned for Jodie Whittaker's final adventure. Doctor Who in the 1980s was a bumpy time for the show, and - through no fault of the actress - Bonnie Langford's Mel was right at the heart of it.

Anecdotally, John Nathan-Turner cast Bonnie Langford for her scream, which was a retrograde step even in 1986. This piercing scream didn't endear her to viewers, nor did her perky keep-fit routine. However, underneath the affectations forced on the character by Jn-t, there was...

Doctor Who is bringing back 1980s companion Melanie Bush (Bonnie Langford), and here's everything you need to know about Mel before her on-screen return. The BBC announced Bonnie Langford's return while filming continues on Ncuti Gatwa's first season as the Fifteenth Doctor, to the delight of Doctor Who fans on social media. While it may seem a surprising choice to bring back this short-lived companion from one of Doctor Who's more troubled eras, it's confirmation that Russell T Davies' new era will be fully embracing all eras of the show as it carves out an exciting new future.

A well-known child star on stage and screen, Bonnie Langford was cast alongside Colin Baker by executive producer John Nathan-Turner in 1986. The characterization of Mel was poorly fleshed out - for story purposes - but this ultimately sabotaged her in the eyes of fans who were still recovering from Doctor Who...

The Doctor's loyal tin dog K9 (John Leeson) has a numerical link to a monster from Tom Baker's Doctor Who era. Introduced in the 1977 serial The Invisible Enemy, K9 became a regular fixture of the Tom Baker era, until he was written out in 1981's Warrior's Gate. The Doctor has regularly given out K9s as gifts to his companions, as Leela (Louise Jameson), Romana (Lalla Ward), and Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) have all found themselves with a K-9 of their own.

Although it's a pun, K9's name does have a strange numerical link back to the villain from the Fourth Doctor's very first adventure, Robot. In that story, the newly regenerated Doctor helped Sarah Jane Smith and Unit unearth a conspiracy involving an elitist scientific group and an experimental robot called K1. It was a Doctor Who twist on King Kong that ended with the giant...

A version of the controversial CyberMasters, first introduced in Doctor Who season 12, episode 10, "The Timeless Children" almost appeared in the show four decades earlier. The Master (Sacha Dhawan) created an unstoppable new race of Cybermen from the corpses of the Time Lords he had murdered, thereby giving them the gift of regeneration. While the concept was a good one, the design of these new Cyber-variants with their robes and Time Lord headpieces was deemed slightly goofy by fans.

However, the concept of Cybermen with the gifts of the Time Lords is a terrifying idea that has been explored in Doctor Who's expanded media, such as in the Titan comics series Supremacy of the Cybermen. That series depicted an alternate timeline where Rassilon, the disgraced President of Gallifrey gave the Cybermen the secrets of time travel, so they could take over all time and space. Strangely, the main TV show...

There's a long-standing belief among the Doctor Who audience that there is no such thing as a bad Doctor, only bad production decisions, and this detail holds true to this day. It's unsurprising that a show which has been around for almost six decades occasionally experiences dips in quality or finds the creative well running dry. However, the failings of any particular Doctor's era or episodes are never the fault of the actor, despite what vocal minorities on social media may claim.

Tom Baker, who played the Fourth Doctor from 1974-1981 once observed that Doctor Who was actor-proof and that no single actor had ever failed in the role. As the longest-running and most popular Doctor of them all, it would be hard to disagree with Baker's assertion. Despite Doctor Who facing cancelation at several points in its history, the show has endured, and key to that endurance is its...

David Tennant's return to the role of the Doctor for Doctor Who's 60th anniversary draws some interesting comparisons with one of his predecessors - Tom Baker. Both Tom Baker and David Tennant are the most popular and iconic Doctors of their respective eras. After playing the role for seven years between 1974 and 1981, Tom Baker's portrayal became indelibly linked with Doctor Who for decades. Baker's popularity and easily recognizable silhouette meant that during the wilderness period of the show in the 1990s, there were several attempts to bring back both Doctor Who and Tom Baker.

Unlike David Tennant, Tom Baker took a long time to finally return to the show after the Fourth Doctor regenerated in 1981. Tom had appeared as the Doctor in audio dramas for the BBC and Big Finish during the early 2000s, but there was a long gap between his on-screen appearances. Aside from a charity sketch...

Warning! This List Contains Spoilers For "The Power Of The Doctor."Doctor Who's latest episode has provided many thrilling moments for the show's most diehard fans, with several familiar faces returning from across the show's history. "The Power Of The Doctor" bids farewell to Jodie Whittaker's Doctor in spectacular fashion, as the Time Lord faces a deadly alliance between the Master, the Daleks, and the Cybermen alongside her greatest friends. This fast and frenetic installment has delighted viewers, who have given their deeply enthusiastic takes on the Thirteenth Doctor's final adventure.

Audiences were left shocked by Chris Chibnall's 90-minute epic, which contains many surprises. Twitter, in particular, have delivered some of the best reactions towards the greatest moments in "The Power of the Doctor," which act as a magnificent celebration of the show's past, present, and future.

The Iconic Bonnie Langford This moment was everything! The iconic...

Warning: contains spoilers for every multi-Doctor story on TV.

Multi-Doctor stories – what they are and what they try to do – are hugely shaped by the context in which they’re made. Very broadly speaking, they can be approached in two ways: ‘The Three Doctors’ and ‘The Day of the Doctor’ are examples of multi-Doctor stories that use the recent storylines of the show as a starting point, and have the story change the existing status quo (with the Doctor being able to pilot the Tardis again after ‘The Three Doctors’ and the restoration of Gallifrey in ‘Day of the Doctor’). By comparison, ‘The Five Doctors’ is a fun but heartfelt runaround of the show’s cliches and iconography.

However, it’s not as simple as that. All of these stories revel in nostalgia, and even the romp of ‘The Five Doctors’ has a twist long-standing character from the Doctor’s...

In March 1993, Doctor Who had been off-air for over three years. Paul McGann wouldn’t become the Doctor for another three, and it would be a further nine until Christopher Eccleston’s first appearance in the Tardis. The fans though, were keeping the show alive – fans such as Gavin Fuller, who chose it as his specialist subject in BBC One quiz Mastermind.

Fuller scored an impressive 16 points in his two minutes on Doctor Who, and increased that to a total of 29 after the General Knowledge round. He won the episode and went on to become the 1993 series champion, answering questions on the Crusades and the Medieval Castle in the British Isles as his two other specialist subjects.

When the BBC recruited four Doctor Who trivia fans for a special Mastermind episode in 2005 to coincide with the show’s revival, Fuller – who had since become head of The Telegraph’s reference...

In 2014, when Doctor Who Magazine asked its readers to rank the show’s first 50 years, out of 241 options, Season 24 stories ‘Time and the Rani’ came 239th, ‘Paradise Towers’ 230th, ‘Delta and the Bannermen’ 217th, with ‘Dragonfire’ thought best of in 215th place. This was largely a repeat of its 2009 poll, although then readers rated ‘Delta and the Bannermen’ above ‘Dragonfire’. Season 24 was also ranked bottom in a GQ article ranking every series of Doctor Who – a combination of words I never thought I’d write.

Season 24 of Doctor Who went into production just as its 23rd season, the 14-episode ‘The Trial of a Time-Lord’ was finishing up on TV. By late 1986, producer John Nathan-Turner was expecting to be moved onto another show and had lost both his script-editor and the show’s most prolific writer.

A surprised Nathan-Turner was given 13 months to hire a new script editor and produce 14 episodes...

Graham and Ryan have left Doctor Who, and it was sad/joyous/on telly (delete as applicable), but where do their departures rank on the all-time list?

The question of “Who counts as a companion?” is a tricky one. Overall it’s an ad hoc combination of different criteria, with allowances made for the exceptions that are intended to fulfil the companion role on a one-off basis. The ranking system is based on whether the departure makes sense for that character, how well it’s built up to, and what it says about Doctor Who in a larger sense. The article only covers TV stories because I value what remains of my sanity.

That’s all the exposition. Please enjoy this non-linear history of production compromises.

47. Peri

Peri spends almost her entire time on Doctor Who being miserable, scared and under threat (even Big Finish doing a timey-wimey farce with...

The Fifth Doctor was distinct in comparison to his previous selves in the fact that he was the youngest of the bunch, in terms of appearance. This energetic, spry Doctor was no less knowledgeable or experienced, but he carried himself with a sort of youthful vigor that his previous selves couldn't quite muster. He was also far more serious than before, handling criticism poorly, while facing foes with a surprising amount of stoicism.

Related: Doctor Who: 10 Most Memorable Quotes From The Fourth Doctor

This Doctor was played by Peter Davison, and remains a fan favorite despite his relatively short tenure in the role from January of 1982 to March of 1984. Nevertheless, he spearheaded some memorable serials during the revved up John Nathan-Turner era of classic Doctor Who. Here's 10 of the Fifth Doctor's most memorable quotes, which shed insight into his character, and how different it was from his past selves.

It’s rare for someone to like all of Doctor Who. A fan may find some of it to have the occasional redeeming feature, but just doesn’t find it entertaining as a whole. On occasion, a run of stories isn’t what they want from Doctor Who. Fortunately the show has a solution to this: Doctor Who changes.

This has been said often enough that it feels like background noise but it’s worth stressing. Different people have made Doctor Who up as they went along, responding to different contexts as best they can. It’s unlikely you’re going to enjoy all of it, but on the bright side, the show always has been and will be different.

Depending on the role played by the BBC, the transition between production teams can be uneven. The change from producer Philip Hinchcliffe to Graham Williams in 1977 wasn’t helped by...

By Darren Allison

On the 31st January, Silva Screen released two excellent BBC vinyl albums from the 1970s. Firstly, Paddy Kingsland was the first Radiophonic composer to see a solo release of his compositions, even though he’s not name-checked on the front of the sleeve. “Fourth Dimension”, first released in 1973, showcased Kingsland’s theme tunes for television and radio while at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. The recordings feature a rock-style backing band and synthesisers including the Vcs 3 and “Delaware” Synthi 100, and the track “Reg” from the album was also released as the B side to the 1973 single release of the iconic Doctor Who theme tune. Kingsland remained at the workshop for 21 years, leaving in 1981, during which time he composed music for much loved TV shows The Changes, Doctor Who and The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy among others. Paddy Kingsland is now part of the newly-revived independent “Radiophonic Workshop...

Chris Farnell Jan 28, 2020

Did the latest Doctor Who series 12 episode finally prove a 35-year-old fan theory right? With major spoilers, Chris investigates

This Doctor Who article contains spoilers.

The words “Big Twist” are in the headline, so obviously if you’ve not seen Sunday night’s Doctor Who, well, probably turn off your computer and try not to speak to anyone until you’ve watched the episode because we have got spoilers aplenty right here!

Ready?

Right, Wow! Did you see? And then the bit where Captain Jack was all… and Ruth was like, and you knew it had to be a Chameleon Arch didn’t you? And then her name began with an R so I was all “Wait, are they going to bring back the Rani?” and then Boom.

I had to rewatch it with breakfast to just to reassure myself I wasn’t making it up. Yes,...

Mark Harrison Sep 26, 2019

“Is no one interested in history?!” 40 years on, we revisit Douglas Adams’ hugely influential Doctor Who serial, City of Death.

This article originally appeared on Den of Geek UK.

“Well, I suppose the best way to find out where you've come from is to find out where you're going and then work backwards.”

To this day, "City Of Death" holds the highest viewing figures for any Doctor Who story on UK TV. Due to a technician’s strike that knocked out ITV for several weeks, plenty of programs on the two BBC television channels enjoyed increased ratings, but it’s auspicious that this particular Tom Baker serial wound up being seen by an average of 14.5 million viewers across its four instalments. Completely by accident, this Douglas Adams-penned escapade happens to be the ideal story for introducing new viewers to classic Who.

read more: A Celebration of Tom...

Mark Harrison Feb 28, 2019

How does classic geek TV like Buffy, Doctor Who, and Star Trek: Tng fare in high definition? Mark examines the art of remastering shows...

This article comes from Den of Geek UK.

There's an adage in fandom that tells us “the memory cheats." Coined by Doctor Who producer John Nathan-Turner in the 1980s, it refers to a kind of Mandela Effect where we improve TV episodes we haven't seen in a while in our heads. But in the age of DVD and Blu-ray, these shows are now available for posterity. Some of them have even been upscaled for glorious but utterly unforgiving high-definition formats.

To a certain extent, we've become conditioned to expect our TV shows in the highest possible definition and those who hold home media and streaming rights to our favourite geeky shows are usually eager to deliver.

So it goes with the recent Red Dwarf Blu-ray boxset,...

Andrew Blair Dec 4, 2018

Which lessons might Doctor Who Season 11 have learned from Classic Who? Andrew considers some of the similarities between now and then...

This article comes from Den of Geek UK.

Doctor Who Season 11 has echoed aspects of the show from the early '60s and '80s, specifically with its three companions, near pure-historicals, grisly bouts of violence and cynical characters. What has it learned from these eras?

Until the end of its second seasons, Doctor Who featured three companions, and briefly did so again in its fourth and nineteenth seasons. However, in those cases, Jamie and Nyssa’s status as companions wasn’t confirmed until late in the day, with the following stories being hastily rewritten to accommodate them. In 1983, Doctor Who briefly returned to stories planned for three companions for eight weeks, but wouldn’t feature three regular companions traveling in the Tardis again until 2018.

Part...

For a very long time, Tom Baker was the iconic Doctor. With his striking scarf, twinkling eyes and anti-authoritarian demeanor, the Fourth Doctor has gone on to influence the character more than almost any other. The Doctor Who revival series can’t seem to resist referencing him, either, whether it be folks donning his iconic scarf, references to Jelly Babies or simply having him pop up as the mysterious Curator in the 50th anniversary special.

Despite this love, fans have been waiting a pretty damn long time to see Tom Baker’s final season – season 18 – hit Blu-ray. Broadcast from August 30th, 1980 to March 21st, 1981, it’s an especially interesting season because it marks a transition period for the series as it switched showrunners from Graham Williams to John Nathan-Turner, thus setting the tone of the show from then until its cancellation in the late 80s.

The BBC Are Finally Releasing...

There’ve been twelve – soon to be thirteen – Doctors over the past 55 years of Doctor Who, each of whom have their ardent fanbases, but it’s hard to argue that Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor isn’t one of the greatest of the lot. His seven year tenure in the Tardis has never been, and likely never will be, beaten and his iconic outfit including his hat and long colorful scarf is probably still the Time Lord’s most recognizable silhouette.

So, after seven years of success in the role, why did Baker finally decide to pass on his keys to the Tardis? In a documentary on the DVD/Blu-Ray release of Doctor Who: The Collection – Season 12 – his first year on the show – Baker gives a very candid interview about his time on the series, and one juicy revelation is the reason he bowed out of the role of a lifetime.

Jamie Andrew Feb 8, 2018

Thirty years after it aired, Jamie looks back at Doctor Who season twenty-four to see if it merits reappraisal...

As January 1988 drew to a close, the dust was just settling on Sylvester McCoy's maiden season as The Doctor. Doctor Who really needed an unambiguous win – ratings, buzz, critical acclaim - following the uncertainty that had swirled around the show during Colin Baker's era (and threatened to consume it still); unfortunately, rather than being the shot in the arm the show so desperately needed, season 24 hadn't had the hoped for impact.

See related Why Annihilation going straight to Netflix matters Annihilation: Alex Garland on the battle between producers Annihilation: Alex Garland director on his film heading to Netflix

You needn't venture far to find proof of the intensely negative feelings McCoy's first run continues to inspire. A casual browse through the archives of any Doctor Who...

Mark Harrison May 10, 2017

Over Doctor Who's long history, what prompted the decision to leave for those in the lead role?

All sorts of things have killed off the Doctor. In the last half century, Doctor Who's unique approach to recasting the lead character has seen him fettled by old age, as punishment, by radiation poisoning, falls big and small, dodgy operations and time itself. There are plenty of in-universe reasons for why the Doctor regenerates, and the outgoing Time Lord Peter Capaldi promises that his upcoming demise will be suitably timey-wimey, but what of the behind-the-scenes reasons that the Doctor has to go?

See related DC Comics movies: upcoming UK release dates calendar Batman V Superman: where does it leave the Justice League? Why cinema needs Batman: the world’s greatest detective Zack Snyder interview: Batman V Superman Deborah Snyder & Charles Roven interview: Man Of Steel

“While you're enjoying it,...

Pete Dillon-Trenchard Apr 29, 2017

Spoilers! We dig into Doctor Who series 10's Thin Ice, to see what else we can find...

This article contains spoilers. Lots of them.

See related Justice League: the brand new poster Future DC films will be "hopeful and optimistic" DC Comics movies: upcoming UK release dates calendar The Crow reboot to finally shoot in January

The Doctor and Bill have saved the day again and something’s knocking in the vault - but it’s only knocking three times, so it doesn’t constitute a reference. Instead, here’s our weekly list of references, callbacks, tenuous spots and generally interesting waffle from this week’s episode. You’ll have to forgive me if I’ve missed anything - I’m at my sister’s wedding as this episode goes out, and they’ve refused to turn the music off for an hour so we can watch it.

Simon Brew Apr 15, 2017

Doctor Who series 10 episode 1 is The Pilot, by Steven Moffat. Here's our spoiler-packed review...

This review contains spoilers. Our spoiler-free review is here.

See related Exclusive: Bryan Fuller on American Gods casting Star Trek: what can we expect from Bryan Fuller's new show? Bryan Fuller interview: Hannibal season 3, Red Dragon, American Gods Bryan Fuller interview: Hannibal season 3, American Gods

10.1 The Pilot

“Banter”

Let’s start by talking about Pearl Mackie.

In the build up to Doctor Who series 10’s premiere (I cling to the word 'series', accepting that 'season' will ultimately win), much of the press surrounding her character, Bill, was about sexuality. Yep, in 2017. Sheesh. Come the episode itself, far less fuss was made, and instead, we got to see just what a find Mackie is. As Bill, it already feels like she’s bringing something just a little different: intently curious, a respecter...

Doctor Who warps back on to our screens in two short days, with the premiere of a new 12-part series of sci-fi, sonic screwdrivers and Capaldi attack eyebrows.

But while the BBC has broadcast more than 800 episodes of generation-defining time travels, there's been as many cracking scripts that never made it to our TVs – from key character deaths to Jk Rowling cameos.

1. Jk Rowling vs. wizards

Russell T Davies' first idea for the 2008 Christmas special was to have the Doctor meet Jk Rowling - playing herself - with the pair battling wizards and witches.

David Tennant wasn't fond of the idea - he felt it sounded like a spoof - so Davies quashed the story to placate his leading man. In its place, we got 'The Next Doctor', which was pretty magical in its own right - so no damage, no foul.

2. Stephen Fry's 1920s adventure

Doctor Who...

Simon Danes is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

My great claim to fame is my connection to Justin Richards. Back in 1980, I co-edited a fanzine called Fendahl. We once ran a charity raffle; John Nathan-Turner generously sent us a box of stuff that had been used on TV, including Tyssan’s nylon rope: as you watch the story, you will see Tim Barlow...

The post Retrospective: BBC Books’ The Banquo Legacy appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Philip Bates is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

The new issues of Doctor Who Magazine is out now, and features a previously-unseen interview with 1980s Producer, John Nathan-Turner! With a special wraparound cover, Dwm #487 tells the tale of how Earth has survived its many, many alien invasions since Doctor Who started nearly 52 years ago! The stunning cover featuring Daleks in all their glory...

The post Invasions and Interviews in Doctor Who Magazine #487 appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Jonathan Appleton is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

There’s a chance to have one of Doctor Who’s most important producers recognised in a unique way with an online vote to name a new bus after John Nathan-Turner! Authorities in Brighton are asking the public to choose local figures worthy of recognition by having their name on one of a new fleet of 24 Coaster...

The post 30 Years Late: A Bus for John Nathan-Turner! appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

From Autons to tribophysics via Kronkburgers, here's a pick of the best nerdy in-jokes and references from the 2005 series of Doctor Who...

Ten years ago, the world was about to be re-introduced to one of the most enduring and exciting television characters of all time, Doctor Who. The programme's new 2005 sheen brought with it a cheeky self-referential side (though it did do a bit of that in the 80s) and a knowingly raised pop culture eyebrow. From films such as E.T. to Barbarella to Star Trek to modern literature (The Lovely Bones) and icons (Michael Jackson) - everything was in the Time Lord’s gaze.

So let’s take our very own trip back in time and have a look at the more notable and interesting references and in-jokes from Doctor Who Series One, starring Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper.

Rose

Most obviously, this opener saw the return of the...

From the Queen Vic to the Tardis. As Eastenders prepares to mark its 30th anniversary, we look back at its encounters with Doctor Who...

Back in the mid-eighties an actor who played "Third Assistant" in a Doctor Who story called The Savages (1966) and the director of another Doctor Who adventure, The Underwater Menace (1967), came together to create one of the BBC’s most successful television shows.

And when they got together, it was murder. Well, not quite. (Though the first episode did feature a victim who would later die, fact fans.) But what they did create was Eastenders.

Broadcast on February the 19th 1985 (in between episodes one and two of The Two Doctors), this creation of Who alumni would go on to share numerous links with the long-running science-fiction for years to come. Even its time-slot owes much to the adventures of everyone’s favourite Gallifreyan.

In an interview in...

BBC

Doctor Who has a fine tradition of casting excellent guest stars right from the start. The black and white years were graced by high calibre thespians such as Julian Glover in The Crusade and well known actors such as Peter Butterworth as the Meddling Monk and Bernard Bresslaw as Varga the Ice Warrior. The colour years were also graced by some classy guest artists. Who could forget Philip Madoc’s Solon in The Brain of Morbius or Tony Bentley’s sublime Harrison Chase in The Seeds of Doom? Even when the show was regarded to be on its last legs, it could boast talent such as Ian Hogg, Honor Blackman, Pamela Salem and Sheila Hancock.

Since its revival, NuWho has managed to garner an even more impressive roster of talent. From Derek Jacobi’s one off Master, Hugh Bonneville’s pirate captain, Dougray Scott’s professor and Sarah Parish’s unforgettable Racnoss Queen,...