News

Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa has revealed that he personally requested that showrunner Russell T Davies bring back classic villain The Rani. Archie Panjabi and Anita Dobson both played incarnations of the renegade Time Lady in Season 2.

The Disney+ and BBC series has drip-fed clues throughout the past two seasons that Dobson's mysterious character Mrs. Flood had intricate knowledge of Time Lord culture, before it was finally revealed in "The Interstellar Song Contest" that she was The Rani hiding in plain sight. The two Ranis have since teamed up with the conspiracy theorist Conrad (Jonah Hauer-King) to trap The Doctor in an alternate reality based entirely on Conrad's twisted beliefs.

The Rani Has Returned to Resurrect Another Classic Doctor Who Villain

On the latest episode of Doctor Who Unleashed, Gatwa told host Steffan Powell that The Rani was one of the classic series villains he'd wanted to bring back.

"That...

The latest iteration of Doctor Who has been reluctant to deploy the likes of Daleks, Cybermen and the Weeping Angels. A few thoughts.

This feature contains spoilers for Doctor Who, up to and including The Interstellar Song Contest.

In 2005, when Doctor Who first returned to our screens in the era that’s become ‘NuWho’, showrunner Russell T Davies was well aware he was fighting an uphill battle.

It’s been well told that the ‘first’ series of the revived show was a tricky one to pull together, and on the BBC’s side, there was a great deal of risk too. Would people be lured back to a show that had been allowed to quietly limp off the air over a decade before (even though the stories themselves were more often than not of quality)? Could it attract a broad audience again? Was it worth the time and investment?

Scheduling...

The following contains spoilers for Doctor Who, Season 2, Episode 6, "The Interstellar Song Contest," now streaming on BBC iPlayer and Disney+.

Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies has broken his silence about the return of classic series villain The Rani in the latest episode. Archie Panjabi made her debut as renegade Time Lady The Rani in "The Interstellar Song Contest."

A mid-credits scene in Saturday's (May 17) revealed that Mrs. Flood (Anita Dobson) was actually The Rani hiding in plain sight from old nemesis The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa). Along with The Doctor, Mrs. Flood was sucked into the vastness of space in a terrorist attack at the Song Contest by two Hellions — Kid (Freddie Fox) and Wynn Aura-Kin (Iona Anderson). Although Mrs. Flood was eventually revived, she lamented that the damage to her "double brain steam" meant she'd have to regenerate.

However, Mrs. Flood was surprised when she actually bi-generated, thus splitting...

Guillermo Del Toro is doing a version of the Mary Shelley story due next year. No stranger to remakes, interpretations of nostalgia, and comedy with Clive/Karloff or Lee/Cushing or perhaps even De Niro/Branagh or someone else as a reference point. Hammer Studios created its mythos which became more the story of the Baron than the creature.

Paul Dudbridge’s Frankenstein: Legacy is a pleasant well-crafted look at a pursuit of Victor Frankenstein’s’ diary of experiments in creation. This was a story element in Universal’s Frankenstein Meets The Wolf man (1943), Son Of Frankenstein (1939) and The Ghost Of Frankenstein (1942).

The film opens after Victor Frankenstein passes away on a schooner in the Arctic, his diary falls into the hands of a sailor, who passes the notebook on and on until it reaches the hands of Millicent Browning (Juliet Aubrey) a rebellious scientist and noble wife of the...

Warning: Contains Spoilers for Doctor Who, season 14, episode 3, "Boom".

Steven Moffat's return to Doctor Who after 7 years is filled with deep-cut references from his previous stories. "Boom" draws parallels to Moffat's classic Doctor Who episodes while incorporating themes of fatherhood and faith. The episode includes callbacks to Moffat's past work, such as Villengard and the Church.

Doctor Who season 14, episode 3, "Boom" is Steven Moffat's first script in seven years, and continues multiple Easter eggs from his previous stories. As a former Doctor Who showrunner, Steven Moffat was both writer and executive producer on "Boom", his first of two confirmed scripts for Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor. Although it's advertized as Doctor Who season 1 by Disney, Ncuti Gatwa's first season has already been packed full of deep-cut references to everything from the Rani (Kate O'Mara) to the fictional band Chris Waites and the Carollers from Doctor Who's very first episode.

The Fifteenth Doctor name-dropped the Rani, hinting at a possible return for the renegade Time Lady in Doctor Who. New mysterious women have sparked fan theories about the Rani's return to Doctor Who, possibly tying into recent episodes. The Rani's sinister experiments may now involve altering all of time and space, with the universe becoming her latest subject.

The following contains spoilers for Doctor Who, Season 1, Episode 3, "Boom," now streaming on BBC iPlayer and Disney+.

Another Time Lord could be about to return to Doctor Who. Since veteran showrunner Russell T Davies returned, launching a brand new era of Doctor Who, the series has featured more than a few references to the Doctor's adoptive people. Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor has so far been noticeably more open than many of his previous selves when it comes to sharing details of his past lives and this has included discussing the recent...

[This story contains spoilers from the first two episodes of Disney+’s Doctor Who, “Space Babies” and “The Devil’s Chord.”]

The first two episodes of the BBC’s hit science-fiction series Doctor Who just dropped on Disney+, and already Whovians around the world are in a twist.

Starring Ncuti Gatwa (Barbie, Sex Education) as the Fifteenth Doctor and Millie Gibson as his traveling companion Ruby, the pair of episodes were written by returning showrunner Russell T Davies and span millions of years. Not only that, there’s The Beatles, too!

Here’s everything you need to know about the new season’s debut, what you may have missed and answers to the some of the many questions you might have.

***

What’s a “bogey” and just how did that space station move at the end of “Space Babies”?

U.S. viewers may have been slightly confused by the use of “bogey” in the season opener (a term more commonly...

Warning: Contains Spoilers for Doctor Who, season 14, episodes 1 & 2, "Space Babies" & "The Devil's Chord"!

"Space Babies" is filled with callbacks, ties to Gallifrey events, and the introduction of new characters, setting up future plot twists. References to the Rani, Time Lords' destruction, and the Timeless Child subplot add depth and intrigue to the ongoing narrative. Connections to Doctor Who composers, Beatles references, and surprise appearances by familiar faces enhance the themes of "The Devil's Chord".

Although billed as a fresh start for the series, Doctor Who season 14, episodes 1 and 2 are crammed full of Easter eggs and references to the 60-year history of the show. In episode 1, "Space Babies", the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) takes Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) on her first trip in the Tardis, landing aboard a space station operated by a crew of infants. Then it's back to 1963 for an adventure involving the Beatles, and the terrifying Maestro (Jinkx Monsoon...

Jinkx Monsoon's Maestro could be the new Master in Doctor Who Season 14. Omega, the Time Lord society co-creator, might be "The One Who Waits." Davros, the creator of the Daleks, teases a return in the upcoming Doctor Who season.

With the upcoming Doctor Who season nearly here, its worth considering who exactly The One Who Waits is. This mysterious figure, teased by the Toymaker (Neil Patrick Harris) in the episode The Giggle, will likely appear in the upcoming Doctor Who season 14, which is also known as the new season 1. With Ncuti Gatwa taking the reins as the latest incarnation of the Doctor, anything is possible, and the same likely applies to the mysterious identity of "The One Who Waits."

Doctor Who audiences worldwide have been theorizing about who this person could possibly be. In past storylines, Doctor Who has famously brought back some of the Doctors best villains and companions,...

It’s the Rani. It’s always the Rani. Even when it definitely isn’t the Rani, well, it’s secretly the Rani.

That’s the running gag in the Doctor Who fandom every time it’s called upon to speculate about who or whatever is behind Something Mysterious and Evil happening on the show. If it’s not the Master, then it’s malevolent Time Lady the Rani. Monsters stealing time, cracks in the universe, milk going off even when kept in an adequately refrigerated container? It’s naughty scientist the Rani (even though it very rarely is).

As played by Kate O’Mara in season 22 and season 24, the character is a classic but little-seen Who villain whose reappearance on TV fans live both in eager anticipation and utter dread of. Four-part 1987 story “Time and the Rani” you see, is not popular.

“Time and the Rani” is not popular to...

Doctor Who specials for charity provide hilariously funny insights into the show's world and characters since 1963. Crossover skits like "The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot" and "Time Crash" bring together classic and modern eras for fans. Familiar characters and actors make appearances in playful parodies, adding to the overall enjoyment of the series.

The hit British sci-fi show Doctor Who has seen plenty of comedy and charity specials air over the years, and while some were better than others, all gave audiences an enjoyable insight into the show's world. Since Doctor Who's initial release in 1963, and especially so since its reboot in 2005, Doctor Who has aired sketches, skits, and everything in between in the name of charity. Primarily, they've been broadcast for the charity television specials of Children in Need and Comic Relief, both of which are prominent live events in the UK.

With Doctor Who being such a staple in British culture,...

This Doctor Who article contains spoilers.

“Never seen a Tardis before?”

We’ve seen a lot of shocking things in Doctor Who, but that question, delivered directly at the camera, ranks among the most surprising. It comes at the end of this year’s Christmas special, “The Church on Ruby Road,” from Mrs. Flood (Anita Dobson), the elderly neighbor of new companion Ruby Sunday. But it’s not just Mrs. Flood’s fourth-wall breaking that raises questions. It’s the fact that she’s a markedly different character than the one at the start of the special, who grouches to her neighbor Abdul (Hemi Yeroham) about the police box parked on her walk. She’s also different than she was midway through the episode, when the Tardis disappears before her, causing her to drop her groceries.

From those three brief scenes alone, it’s clear that Mrs. Flood is more than she initially seems.

Ncuti Gatwa, the Fifteenth Doctor, hopes to face off against classic Doctor Who villains The Rani and the Daleks in future adventures. Showrunner Russell T Davies has created a whole new world of villains for the Doctor, promising exciting and unprecedented stakes. While the return of The Rani may be complicated due to rights issues, Gatwa's encounter with the Daleks could happen soon, as a new design for them has been teased for Doctor Who season 14.

Ncuti Gatwa reveals which classic Doctor Who villains he hopes to face as the Fifteenth Doctor in future adventures in the Tardis. Gatwa has currently filmed his first season as the newest incarnation of the Time Lord, and is currently taking part in the production of episodes set to air in 2025. The actor's first full solo adventure as the Fifteenth Doctor will be 2023's seasonal special "The Church on Ruby Road", which will see...

Warning: Contains Spoilers for the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials!

Doctor Who's 60th anniversary specials have faced criticism for not being special enough, but the return of the popular Tardis team after 15 years is a special moment in itself. While there has been a wealth of new material for David Tennant, Rtd's 60th anniversary specials also bring back the tradition of multi-Doctor adventures. The 60th anniversary specials feature exciting adventures and moments of nostalgia, despite some flaws in execution. It's a joy to see familiar faces back in action and celebrate the contributions of Doctor Who comics.

Doctor Who celebrated its 60th anniversary with three hour-long specials, but how do they rank alongside their predecessors? The 60th anniversary specials, written by Russell T Davies and starring David Tennant and Catherine Tate as the Fourteenth Doctor and Donna, have been criticized for not being special enough. However, this criticism misses the point,...

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Doctor Who's first 60th anniversary special, "The Star Beast".

Doctor Who's 60th anniversary specials are likely to revisit a plot point involving the Meep's boss during Ncuti Gatwa's tenure as the Fifteenth Doctor. Producers Collinson and Delow know who the Meep's boss is, but David Tennant claims he doesn't, suggesting viewers may not learn the boss's identity during the specials. The theory that the boss is the Toymaker may also be debunked by Tennant's lack of knowledge, with other possibilities for the boss including the Master, the Rani, the Eternals, or a new villain for the Fifteenth Doctor.

Doctor Who producers Phil Collinson and Vicki Delow hint that one plot point in the 60th anniversary specials will be revisited during Ncuti Gatwa's stint as the Fifteenth Doctor. The first part of Doctor Who's 3-part special follows the story of the Meep...

Warning: Contains Spoilers for Tales of the Tardis

"Dimensions in Time," the 30th anniversary special of Doctor Who, is now confirmed as canon and plays a significant role in the story of the Seventh Doctor and Ace. The special, which aired during the Children in Need telethon in 1993, was initially rejected by fans but is now recognized as an official part of the Doctor Who canon. "Dimensions in Time" marked the final televised appearance of Sylvester McCoy's Seventh Doctor and Sophie Aldred's Ace, and it is suggested that it was their last adventure together before Ace left the Tardis.

Doctor Who has seemingly confirmed that its absurd 30th anniversary special, "Dimensions in Time" is canon, and is also hugely important to the story of the Seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) and Ace (Sophie Aldred). The new Doctor Who spinoff show Tales of the Tardis launches the Whoniverse by reuniting...

Doctor Who fans have been given their first look at Jinkx Monsoon as the Doctor’s “most powerful enemy yet” – and the drag queen’s costume seems might just hint at a new direction for the show.

Earlier this month, fans of the sci-fi series and RuPaul’s Drag Race alike were delighted by the announcement that drag queen Jinkx – who identifies as non-binary and uses they/she pronouns – was joining the BBC series.

The US-based performer will star opposite Ncuti Gatwa’s incoming 15th Doctor in the next full series of Doctor Who, which kicks off over Christmas after three special episodes seeing the brief return of fan-favourite Time Lord, David Tennant.

Details about Gatwa’s tenure as the Doctor have been kept tightly under wraps, with the original announcement that Jinkx would have a “major role” in the new series predictably prompting rabid speculation from fans.

Jinkx won...

Carole Ann Ford opens up about her time as part of the Doctor Who cast, explaining why she is envious of the modern companions compared to her own experience during the classic era. Ford portrayed Susan Foreman, granddaughter and the first companion of William Hartnell's First Doctor, and debuted in the sci-fi series' pilot, "An Unearthly Child." Alongside Hartnell, as well as William Russell and Jacqueline Hill, who portrayed teachers Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright, Ford's character faced the Daleks, prehistoric cavemen, and French revolutionaries, and was shrunk to the size of an insect during their adventures in the Tardis.

With growing hopes to see Susan return to Doctor Who in the show's revived era, Ford opened up about her time as part of the classic cast in seasons 1 and 2 to RadioTimes. Admitting that she felt that Susan's writing left much to be desired, the star explained that she...

Foreseeing a relaxation of censorship on the horizon, England’s Titan Films filmed this mad surgery opus with far more gore and cruelty than was the norm in 1967-68, and their gambit paid off. Horror favorite Peter Cushing stars with Sue Lloyd, a pair nobody expected to show up in a shocker with such a high sleaze quotient. Pi’s special edition gives us three versions of the show including the continental cut with Cushing’s most lurid scene ever, and heaps of comment and analysis.

Corruption

Region B Blu-ray

Powerhouse Indicator

1968 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 91.5 min., 90.5 min. / Carnage / Street Date August 30, 2021 / available from Powerhouse Films UK / �18.99

Starring: Peter Cushing, Sue Lloyd, David Lodge, Noel Trevarthen, Anthony Booth, Kate O’Mara, Wendy Varnals, Billy Murray, Vanessa Howard, Marian Collins (or Jan Waters), Phillip Manikum, Alexandra Dane, Valerie Van Ost, Diana Ashley, Victor Baring, Shirley Stelfox, Marianne Morris.

Cinematography: Peter Newbrook

Film Editor:...

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...