An Interview with Steve Gallagher

Interview conducted with Stephen Gallagher – 3^rd July 2011.

When I decided to attend the Vworp 4 mini Doctor Who convention in Manchester I had one real goal in mind and that was to have a chance to interview one of my favourite Doctor Who writers from the classic series, Steve Gallagher.

Steve, who penned Warriors Gate (Season 18) and Terminus (Season 20), does not attend conventions very often although I find it hard to believe that he “does not get asked much” as he is a very engaging and fascinating gentleman.  He is quite conscious of not being one of those people who earns a living from convention going like some do for “holding a spear once in 1974” but equally appeared to be delighted to have been asked to Vworp 4

Not only did Steve grant me an interview but he insisted we moved outside in the blistering sunshine (yes that was the one day of summer!) so I could record the interview better and granted me 30 mins of his time which I am extremely grateful for. 

Hi Steve – Do you find it amazing that here we are in 2011 talking about a show that started in 1963?

It is amazing but even though Doctor Who is the flagship show once again, the BBC still does not realise what it has got. They are still playing with the scheduling and there are still people who feel that a programme of that nature embarrasses the institution. They will play around with it just like they did when Michael Grade was there and use any excuse they can to say it’s not like it used to be if ratings fall. However its longevity and success cannot be denied by anyone.

Your first contribution to the show came in 1980 with Warriors’ Gate? How do you regard that show now?

Quite a few of the key elements that I wrote remained within the episodes but a lot of things were stripped out. Because I was young and relatively naive I asked for things that weren’t achievable on the budget. As I got older I learnt what you could push for and what you couldn’t. 

Was that the case with Terminus also which followed three years later?

The same situation really. I wrote in a small robot on that show which gave them all sorts of complications. However I do remember Eric Saward telling me to shoot for the sky ideas wise, but obviously there was a limit on what could be done. I gave them a gift in the case of the Guarm as I essentially described it as two glowing red eyes and nothing more. They didn’t take the easy option though and ended up creating a Hector style creature!

Your ideas are very visual and your concepts complex at times. What was the level of disappointment when you saw your ideas not transferred successfully to screen?

I suppose I was a bit crestfallen at the time. You almost want to buttonhole every viewer and tell them what you really wanted so as to get across from  your original ideas but of course that is not feasible. The core ideas of Norse mythology in Terminus were there if you look for them.

I remember being left in the Production Office once and as you do I read some of the other submissions. I quickly realised that other writers were simply writing to budget. I felt that I should be true to the concepts I wanted and that the job of bringing it to life on the screen was someone else’s problem.

Did you have a preference between working for Christopher H Bidmead and Eric Saward?

Well it was Chris that gave me my break which of course I am grateful for. He was very much into science and numbers; he was the first person I knew to have a word processor. We both believed that things in the show should have some foundation in reality. For example the concept of Dwarf Star Alloy (which recently made a re-appearance in Day of the Moon) needed to be scientifically possible rather than magical.

As for Eric well he was more of a details man. As I mentioned before he would tell me to shoot for the stars but I remember getting a note from him after Terminus saying “thanks for another million pound production!” 

You have referred to yourself as “old guard” and that you and new Doctor Who wouldn’t mesh. What do you think of current Doctor Who? 

I forgive the new version a lot. I think the sonic screwdriver solves far too many issues and is essentially a magic wand. But having said that the new fairytale style of Steve Moffat has drawn me back in. It is Peter Pan really isn’t it? We even had the companion flying outside the Tardis!  You cannot get more on the nose than that.

I appreciated the Russell T Davies era on an intellectual level but overall it was not to my taste.  I made a point of watching “Blink” and “Girl in the Fireplace” because of Moffat and his pedigree of writing and thoroughly enjoyed them. I raised an eyebrow when he took over though. Why take over a show that is already a franchise and runaway success. Why not branch out on your own?

Could you not argue he has done that with Sherlock?

To a degree. I loved the approach he took with the show, but the stories were a bit uneven. Yes I wasn’t too enamoured with those, however it is nothing that cannot be fixed. All the intangibles are there and they feel right so the necessary building blocks for a really good show are there.

Obviously Sherlock has eccentricity in abundance in Benedict Cumberbatch. But what about our own Matt Smith. Has he made the role of the Doctor his own?

When I first saw he had the role I thought ‘my God, he is 12 years old!’ But as I have watched him you can see the eccentricity, but it is reasoned eccentricity, the thought paths are there on the screen. He plays the ninety five year old man stuck in a teenager’s body aspect very well.

As a writer which shows have really caught your imagination in the last couple of years?

A programme called Terriers which starred Donal Logue. It only lasted for 13 episodes before it was axed unfortunately. If you can imagine the truckers from the film Tremors but as unlicensed private investigators. The writing on that show was superb and thankfully they gave the season a logical story arc with a conclusion so viewers did not feel too cheated when it was cut.

I also loved Damien Lewis in Life as an imprisoned police officer who is released after twelve years for a crime he did not commit. He embraces the concept of Zen to find inner piece but the real joy of the show is when that desire for revenge surfaces. Unfortunately this was axed after two seasons but again it was a perfect story arc to conclude the show satisfactorily.

Your experiences with American networks will allow you to empathise with these shows plight surely?

There is a big difference between UK TV production and that in America. My most recent project, The Eleventh Hour, had an average viewership of 12.5 million, even peaking at 15 million at one point. This would be excellent for a prime time 9pm show but we were on at 10pm so it is even more impressive. We were with CBS but CBS were owned by Warner Bros and for our show all ancillary profits went direct to Warner.

For CBS who owned Medium, it made more sense for them to bring back that show which had an established history and although the viewing figures might only be comparable with ours it made more money for that company. So many elements go into TV syndication and whether or not a show is renewed and unfortunately it is not just down to audience appreciation. You learn to shrug your shoulders and move on to the next project.

The one thing I have learnt from being a TV writer is this is not a just universe!

My thanks go to Steve Gallagher for taking the time to allow me to conduct this interview.

Vworp 4

I wanted to share with you all a recent experience I had at a Doctor Who convention. Now I would not describe myself as a regular convention attendee these days. Back in the ‘wilderness’ years (that is an official term now you know!) I used to go all the time because it was one of the few ways of obtaining any sort of access to the programme.

These days it takes something special to entice me out. Well Vworp 4 managed that by describing some excellent guests, and a perfect setting....a pub! So off I trundled.

The pub in question was the Lass O Gowrie in Manchester, an intimate venue which provided some dark and dingy respite from the intense blazing sunshine that bathed Lancashire. Perfect for chat about Doctor Who! The crowd could not have totalled more than 70 people which allowed the professionals affiliated with various aspects of the show to mingle with the fans between Q and A sessions. This leant a lovely personal touch to proceedings.

And the interviews themselves were with a very eclectic line up. Up first was sixties era Script Editor Donald Tosh. Now you don’t get many surviving members of the William Hartnell production team these days so his anecdotes around the mad panic to get ‘The Dales Master Plan’ to screen or his disappointment with the finished article of ‘The Celestial Toymaker (which many consider to be a classic) were fascinating. His tale of writing a wonderful speech for Hartnell at the end of ‘The Massacre’ was also interesting and the speech being played on audio in the pub received a lovely round of applause.

Next up was Adrian Salmon. This gentleman has worked on the Doctor Who Magazine comic strips for years but for me personally his most telling contributions are the pictures he does to accompany DWM’s ‘Time Team ‘feature. I absolutely love those and it was interesting to hear the man behind the art.

We then had the Doctor Who Magazine team, original Editor Dez Skinn, current Editor Peter Spilsbury and Assistant Editor Peter Ware. Later on I was able to speak briefly with Tom and a bit more in depth with Peter (who I finally got to thank face to face for giving me a chance to write for DWM) which was probably just as well as their panel was the Dez Skinn hour to a large degree!

Dez is a fascinating man who is very opinionated but also evidently extremely passionate about the subject matter and it was that passion that will have kept Doctor Who Magazine going for so many years, he is in the Guinness Book of Records after all for this very fact. Tom and Peter had obviously witnessed first hand  the Dez Skinn experience before and soaked it all in with wry smiles. I did manage to ask them about the most recent DWM, the tribute to Nick Courtney, which I thought was an exceptional piece of work and of course they were rightly very proud of it. Genuinely lovely blokes all of them.

We then had the irrepressible Katy Manning who simply does not need an interviewer to hold a crowd. She is as manic, off the wall and completely endearing every time I have seen her on stage and had the audience lapping up her anecdotes.

Then came the personal highlight for me. I had contacted Steve Gallagher (writer of Warriors’ Gate and Terminus) prior to the event about perhaps grabbing a quick five mins with him to ask some questions. Not only did Steve agree to this but he suggested we go outside so my recording would be able to pick the interview up better. For 30 mins we stood outside in the gorgeous whether and chatted about his stories, Chris Bidmead, Eric Saward, Sherlock and American TV. Steve is a highly intelligent and absolutely fascinating guy and I will share that interview with you all at a later date. Thank you Steve!

We also then had a Q and A with Ben Aaronovitch (writer of Remembrance of the Daleks and Battlefield) and Seventh Doctor era Script Editor Andrew Cartmel. This session felt a little disjointed and perhaps a little fatigue had set in with the audience at this point. However Andrew Cartmel is always an interesting chap to listen to and his anecdote about Ace seeing the ‘No Coloureds” sign in the window of the B&B in Remembrance and whether to look in disdain or rip it up was fascinating. I believe they chose the right outcome for subtlety.

It was then time for me to depart having had a wonderful time. Vworp 4 is a unique convention and you are unlikely to ever attend another where you will have the opportunity to speak to people heavily involved with the past and present of the series in such close quarters. My thanks to all those that arranged the event and all the people who participated. A truly memorable day.

Steve Gallagher

On Sunday I was lucky enough to interview Steve Gallagher at mini Doctor Who convention Vworp 4 in Manchester. Steve wrote the Season 18 story Warriors' Gate and the Season 20 story Terminus. Not only did Steve give me 30 mins of his time but was willing to answer any questions I had relating to Doctor Who or TV in general. You will be able to find that interview in the coming weeks on Planet Gallifrey http://planetgallifrey.blogspot.com

Oh and did I forget to mention...I have been appointed as the new writer for Planet Gallifrey so keep your eyes peeled for upcoming goodies in the weeks and months to come!

Doctor Who Magazine reaches a new high

I have been a dedicated reader of DWM since 1987. As you will have seen from my last post I was even lucky enough to write for the magazine and it is my ambition to do so again. The magazine has never been less than a supporter of the programme but more than that it has enhanced enjoyment of the series for thousands of fans new and old.

Throughout the years the magazine has promoted the show in such a positive and proud manner. During the wilderness years it can be argued that it played a vital role in keeping the show alive. When the show returned Clayton Hickman first and now Tom Spilsbury  found the right blend of showcasing the new, modern series and always allowing the older shows their time in the sun. The mixture is spot on, there is something for every era of fan.

The magazine is more glossy and eye catching than ever before. The writing is of the highest calibre and something I aspire to. However issue DWM 436 reached new heights during a year where the publication has been chastised from some quarters for "spoilering" the new series. Nonsense of course.

DWM 436 is a sublime and touching tribute to the late, great Nicholas Courtney. It contains numerous tributes from those people that knew him who all emote their feelings on the great man and what he meant to them. All articles and interviews are done with integrity, humour and genuine fan love. There are of course the fantastic reviews from Graham Kiddle-White to enjoy as fell as an interview with Alex Kingston. But this issue is really about a great actor, soldier and icon of the show.

If you already own it...read it again. It warrants it. If you have never read DWM...well honestly now is the time to start. Enjoy and never look back.

Doctor Who Magazine 200 Golden Moments

Just thought I would share with you a very proud moment within my Doctor Who obsession when I was invited to write for DWM and their 200 Golden Moments special edition. My articles concern State of Decay and Mark of the Rani.

This fantastic mag came out about two years ago but really gives food for thought. In light of the fact we now have the Matt Smith era also..............what are your favourite Golden Moments?

The Ultimate Doctor Who Trailer 2005 - 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uRjNhLSHlM Enjoy!!!!!

Celebrating 2Entertain - What is your favourite DVD release?

One of the great pleasures in life is when a Doctor Who story from the classic (still hate that term) series is released. Not only will the picture be the clearest you have ever seen for that particular story but you also get fantastic extras from those lovely people at 2Entertain that can make the naffest of stories still be integral to your overall DVD collection. I am expecting the imminent release of Paradise Towers to prove that theory.

2Entertain have provided some fantastic documentaries, features and interviews that have enthralled Doctor Who fans for the best part of the last decade. Particular personal faves include the 'Trials and Tribulations' documentary from the 'Trial of a Timelord' box set covering the Colin Baker era including the cancellation which is essential viewing purely for the candid and at times controversial nature of the main protagonists words.

The 'A New Body At Last' documentary from the 'New Beginnings' box set chartering the transition from Tom Baker to Peter Davison is fascinating featuring some very rare footage of the regeneration scene itself. This would have to be my personal favourite as these are some of my favourite stories and they are enhanced further here. Special mention must also go to the 'Survival' DVD which for me is a very sub standard story but the documentary 'Endgame' which shows the intended direction the show may have gone in is fascinating stuff for any fans of the show who had hoped for Season 27.

There are so many highlights, and far too many to mention here. However the very best aspect is the commentaries. Not only because they give fascinating insight into the creation of the story from the time but they also immortalise legends of the show that have since departed. Barry Letts is one of my favourite contributors to the commentaries and we will always have his honest forthright reviews to listen to. And how poignant it is now listening to a commentary that features Nick Courtney or Lis Sladen. For any who fan worth their salt try and listen to the 'Planet of the Spiders' commentary track without choking back a few tears.

So thank you 2Entertain for providing such a fantastic run of releases and how bittersweet it is that these will be all be available in a couple of years. But equally how fantastic.

Series 6 - Questions Still Remain!!!!

There is no doubt about it that 'A Good Man Goes to War' is a cracking episode. And we do have some answers to some questions. We know why Eye Patch Lady could see Amy, although most people probably already figured that one out. We know who River Song is...FINALLY!!!! We know why the enemies want Melody. But still many questions remain!

1) Where do the Silence fit into all this? When will they fall?

2) When was Amy taken? We now know it was before America. Was it sometime between The Bing Bang and A Christmas Carol? If conception occurred on their wedding night then that is the most likely.

3) Can River Song regenerate? If she is Melody, and Melody is the little girl at the end of Day of the Moon, then yes she can. but that is not confirmed.

4) Who is behind it all? Madame Kovarian seems to be the spokesperson but not the mastermind behind it all.

5) Are these the same clerics that were seen in Time of Angels/Flesh and Stone? How come River was aligned with them then?

6) Is there a more sinister motive to the Hooded Monks! Where have they come from!

7) Why does River kill the Doctor in The Impossible Planet? We know it is her as she states "of course" when she realises she cannot kill herself.

Of course there are many more questions to be answered which I am sure others can tell me about...like how is a Lizard walking around 19th century London unnoticed. Oh and how funny it the title "Let's kill Hitler"! One of the best titles ever!!

Did 'The Almost People' have the best cliffhanger ever?

When the Doctor eradicated Ganger Amy at the end of 'The Almost People' and the real Amy promptly woke up in a birthing chamber about to pop, jaws around the nation must have hit the floor. Not only was this a shock but also the ramifications of Amy not being Amy for the entire series were far reaching. Where is she and what could this mean!

Because of the speculation one could argue that this is the best cliffhanger ever. But is it? Well it is fantastic but here are some that would certainly give it a run for its money.

1) Part Three - Caves of Androzani. - The 5th Doctor is dying, his companion is dying, he has a gun staring at his face and he is about to crash land into a planet. The stakes have never been higher and the drama as Peter Davison heroically states to his enemies "I am not going to let you stop me now" is simply unforgettable.

2) Turn Left - When Donna conveys the two words Rose said to her as she lay dying in the road, "Bad Wolf", the Doctor realises the impending doom that is going to occur. The words Bad Wolf appear everywhere and the Tardis cloister bell is ringing. High octane stuff.

3) Part Three - Curse of Fenric - As a crippled Doctor Judson falls to the floor the 7th Doctor faces down his other enemies. But in the background Judson rises, now possessed by Fenric, to say " We play the game again Timelord". At that point we didn't even know what the game was but it was bloomin exciting!!

4) Part One - Earthshock - before the days of spoilers no one new that the Cybermen were returning. But as an Android focuses on the image of the 5th Doctor the camera pans back to reveal his masters. The silver menaces are back and bang we are into the credits. This ending has stayed with me since the age of five.

5) Part Four - The Keeper of Traken - The Master takes over Tremas's body. We thought the Master had died but not only did he trick the 4th Doctor but he is newly re-invigorated and ready to play his part in the demise of his mortal enemy in the very next story, Logopolis.

6)  Part 2 - The Android Invasion - The Doctor has been trying to keep out of the Androids' way - until he turns nf Sarah, they struggle and she falls to the floor with her face rolling off, revealing her to have been an android for the entire episode.

7) Part 1 - The Mind Robber - The Tardis is under attack from an alien presence trying to take over the Docs mind. Before we know it the Tardis has blown up, the Doctor is revolving in space and Zoe (and her bum in Lycra) and Jamie are clinging to the console. Surreal and utterly magical. Black and white Who at its very best.




8) Army of Ghosts - The Void has opened and the ghosts come through revealing them to be Cybermen! That not enough for you? Well the Sphere has opened and the Daleks are here too!! The 10th Doctor has never been in more peril...apart from when he was regenerating at the end of 'The Stolen Earth'!

9) Part 3 - City of Death - The Doctor has just left Count Scarlioni (Scaroth)  in Paris in 1979. And yet here he is having time travelled to Renaissance Italy and come across Captain Tancredi....who is also Scaroth. So simple, so effective and really an early example of timey wimey stuff!

10) Utopia- Although this cliffhanger lasts about 15 mins we have The Master returning, then re-generating and then escaping which not only has superb acting from Derek Jacobi and John Simm, but also has David Tennant showing his acting chops by coming to terms with the fact that he isn't the last of the Timelords but also showing his despair at knowing the Master is still rotton to the core.

Of course there are so many others such as the Dalek hovering up the stairs for the first time in Remembrance of the Daleks or The Timelords returning at the climax of The End of Time Part 1. This just goes to show the amazing pedigree Steven Moffat has to match when creating his cliffhangers.

A Good Man Goes to War Prequel

Here it is!!!


The Prequel

Spoliers Alert: The Sontarans are back!!!

Well we know that 'A Good Man Goes to War' sees the Doctor having to perhaps collect an army to do battle with someone but it seems he is keeping some strange allies!

We know that the Cybermen are back but which side are they on. However judging from this picture they are not alone. The Sontarans are back too and they appear to be helping Rory! It is also telling that Rory is back in his Roman gear. Are we going to see a return of all of the Alliance from 'The Pandorica Opens'?

The Sontarans are back!

Seasons 13 Best Doctor Who Season Ever!

It my is my strong belief that Season 13 is the greatest Doctor Who season ever. Here are the reasons why:

Season 13

This season featured the height of the Gothic era and the time when the Doctor/companion relationship has never and will never be beaten. Tom Baker and the late, great Elisabeth Sladen imbue their respective characters with such a warmth for each other without ever needing to be overtly affectionate like in the current series. They also have have a sense of joy travelling with each other but this never trivialises the threat facing them like the 10th Doctor and Rose who seemed to laugh in the face of adversity.

The stories are classics without a clanger amongst them. Terror of the Zygons (hurry up 2Entertain and release this tale on DVD) sees the Doctor, Sarah and the wonderful Harry team up with the Brigadier (the dearly departed Nick Courtney) to face the threat of the Zygons in Scotland. Surely the Zygons are long overdue a welcome return.

Pyramids of Mars is often cited as the greatest story ever with threads of Egyptology, walking mummies and human cadavers. It also contains the voice of Gabriel Woolf as Sutekh, Woolf would later voice the Beast in 'The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit'. A glorious tale that has memories burned into the minds of any fan that has ever watched it. Who can forget the relentless pursuit of the Poacher in the woods!

Planet of Evil is a 'Forbidden Planet' homage as well as clearly being influenced by Jekyll and Hyde and Brain of Morbius is a tribute to Frankenstein.  Both are gloriously dark and about as frightening as Doctor Who has ever been.

The wonderful Seeds of Doom is the Doctor Who version of Day of the Triffids and even a story such as The Android Invasion, commonly thought to be the weakest of the season, is a nice spin on Invasion of the Bodysnatchers.

This season features God like foes, carnivorous vegetable matter, shape changing enemies and sentient anti matter. It is also fantastic from start to finish. Script edited by Robert Holmes, produced by Philip Hinchcliffe and featuring two guest stars acting their socks off, TV will never get better than this. All the stars aligned for this Doctor Who cold to be made all at once.

Of course if you do not agree...let me know and why!!!

Doctor Who-Series Six Themes so far

With only two episodes to go before the mid season break it seems an appropriate time to reflect on the twisted narratives that Steven Moffat has once again weaved through every episode leaving us with more questions than answers as usual. Let's have a look at the main issues which cause forums to go into meltdown on a regular basis.

1) We are yet to find out if who the little girl regenerating is? Is she connected to Amy? How did she find herself in the Astronaut suit in the first place? Is she a Timelady? Is she connected to River Song? Did she kill the Doctor? This is the main thread which has not been touched upon since Episode 2 and I have a funny feeling may be left over till the second half of the season.

2) Is Amy pregnant? The Tardis can't decide but the Yes/No quandary seems to suggest she may be up the duff in one reality but not in another. But which reality is which? And if she is pregnant...what on Earth with! Did the Silence impregnate her in some way? And if that is why she felt sick, why did River Song feel the same way too? Moffat has promised a game-changing cliff hanger and it is likely to be revolve around this theme..and the next.

3) Who is River Song? How many times has this question been posed in the last three years! An answer now needs to arrive pretty rapidly as this thread has the potential to lose its initial appeal. Lets hope we get an answer in 'A Good Man Goes to War' and it is an answer worth waiting for and not a 'Bad Wolf' disaster.

4) Who is Eye-Patch lady? Well we already know she has a name, Madame Kovarian. She has appeared in three episodes peering through a hatch that only Amy can see. This would suggest she may be some sort of mid wife looking over Amy. The inevitable Rani rumours have circulated although what a brilliant choice Frances Barber would be! There is also a suggestion that she works for the Cybermen. We know they return in Episode 7 and her eye patch does have a hint of cyber technology about it! That could be a bit of a leap admittedly.

5) Why does Rory keep biting the dust? He dies in nearly every episode. Is this now just a running inside joke or is Rory still not human and therefore relatively invincible ala Captain Jack? Or are these red herring deaths simply leading up to him actually dying? One would hope not as every time he dies it waters down the effect if it ever actually happens.

Although Steven Moffat drives us mad and entertains us thoroughly in equal measure I don't think anyone can doubt that this series has been of a superior standard to last year. With the exception of 'Curse of the Black Spot', which was still an enjoyable maritime romp, the episodes have been darker and better week after week. Strap yourselves in because the next two weeks could be a bumpy ride...but lots of fun!

Returning the favour

A gentleman (Darren Judson) whom I have become firm friends with over the last couple of years also has a blog site of his own where he looks at popular TV and cult shows as well as foraying into the world of wrestling on occasion. Another chap who is passionate and knowledgeable about what he writes- his site is always worth a visit. Check out the link to the right of this page. Go on...you know you want to.

Doctor Who - The Rebel Flesh Review

Episode 5 of Series Six sees the first installment of another two parter, The Rebel Flesh. This episode was written by Mathew Graham so fans purely of Doctor Who could be forgiven for approaching this episode with some caution as Graham also wrote the appalling 'Fear Her' - arguably the worst episode since the series returned. However there was no need for such worries as Graham was also involved in the masterful Life on Mars/Ashes to Ashes which makes him beyond reproach in my eyes.

So this story begins with the Doctor, Amy and Rory landing at a monastery on 22nd Century Earth where a group of chemical workers are using doppelganger avatars to deal with lethal chemicals. The avatars are created from an entity called The Flesh which seems to have sentient life within its genetic make up.

The Doctor seems to already know about this entity and is also concerned about an approaching solar tsunami which sure enough strikes the monastery and ends up bringing to life the avatars with all the thoughts and memories of their human counterparts transposed. The Doctor then spends the rest of the episode trying to make the humans understand rather than fear the avatars as they are sentient life in just the same way as the earthlings. However he fails and the Gangers declare war on the humans...rather quickly.

This episode pays homage to many films of the past, perhaps most noticeably The Thing and Bladerunner, neither of which is ever a bad thing. The morality debate over whether the Gangers are true people is interesting, although it is harder to take when the special effects of their true faces really kick in, especially in two bizarre moment where the Gangers elasticity is shown with one rotating her heard 180% degrees and another stretching out like Mr Fantastic from the Fantastic 4!

What is perhaps more interesting is Rory becoming very prominent in this story by developing an affection for Jenny, the one Ganger whose character is really fleshed (sorry!) out. His defense of her leaves Amy sidelined and hopefully brought down a peg or two. Is Rory like this because of all those years he spent as an Auton? Can he identify with the Flesh?

The direction is lovely and the various castles and remote surroundings are used to great effect. The duplicate Doctor at the end was somewhat predictable (an early trailer spoilered this for those with a keen eye) but it does pose the question, is this the Doctor killed by the Astronaut in 'The Impossible Astronaut'? Or is that too obvious? We shall see.

Overall another good story following the wonderful 'The Doctor's Wife', albeit a much more traditional one but I think the series needed that. The episode involved a lot of set up and had morality issues similar to last seasons two parter Silurian story, although this was done much much better. We also had the season long story arcs of Amy's on/off pregnancy and Eye Patch lady involved although the latter is beginning to feel very shoe horned. This type of drip drip storyline was done much better in the aforementioned Life on Mars/Ashes to Ashes. Hopefully its conclusion will change all that but in the world of Steven Moffat who knows when that will be.

Overall enjoyable once again and looking forward to next week!

Doctor Who - The Doctor's Wife Episode Review

The fact that the title suggested so much and Neil Gaiman (sci-fi novelist of great repute) was penning this episode led to much anticipation from Doctor Who fans as to what should be a cracking episode. Did the story live up to the hype however? Absolutely.

The story centres around the Doctor picking up a Timelord distress call which lures him to a sentient planet called House. However House had lured other Timlords there before and killed them all so that he can mine the energy from the Tardises that have landed there before. He attempts to take over the Doctor's Tardis by taking out the central Matrix and placing it in a living body leaving the machine vulnerable.

The central conceit that the character Idris became the human embodiment of the Tardis was very special. She is the Doctor's "Wife". She is his one true love, his constant companion throughout all his journeys in time and space, unlike the other "strays" he brings aboard for short durations. But what would happen if these constant companions finally got the opportunity to talk to each other? The affection portrayed by Suranne Jones as Idris and Matt Smith was simply exceptional and their touching "Hello" as opposed to goodbye was arguably the most moving moment since David Tennant's regeneration scenes.

Neil Gaiman gave not only great dialogue to Idris and the Doctor but also suggested that by the Tardis being unlocked when the Doctor 'borrowed' her all those aeons ago, she in fact chose him to go on many adventures with. A lovely idea which turns nearly 50 years of one of the programme central themes on its head.

Special mention must go to Suranne Jones who portrayed the necessary eccentricity of a woman sent half mad by the Tardis inhabiting her very being, but also played the sensitive scenes with aplomb. An instantly like able character which of course the Tardis had to be. And plaudits to Matt Smith who had to portray anger at being given hope that other Timelords still exist only to have that cruelly snatched away from him, fear that he was powerless for a time at the hands of House and sadness that he will only get chance to speak to his Tardis just the once. Brilliant.

We must not forget Rory and Amy who were trapped in the Tardis being tormented by House, voiced with menace and relish by the excellent Michael Sheen. There were some exceptionally dark moment in those Tardis corridors (yes we got to see Tardis corridors for the first time since the Colin Baker era!!) and our heroes were really put through the ringer. The only downside being Rory was killed YET AGAIN!!! This must be an inside joke now. We also got to see the previous control room again! Fanboy overload!!

The smaller characters such as Uncle and Auntie were wonderfully eccentric as well, although having an Ood there did feel a little crow barred into the plot. But my goodness that is nit picking.

Overall this was arguably the best story of the Matt Smith era to date. Wonderful acting from everyone involved. Some really dark stuff inside the Tardis, a genuine malevolent threat and some great nods to the series past. But the relationship between the Tardis and the Doctor being vocalised was fantastic and deserves all the plaudits. Neil Gaiman please write for Who again, never has the word 'Hello' been tinged with such happiness and sadness all at the same time.  Beautiful.

Hand of Fear on BBC Four - Tribute to Sarah Jane Smith

Well done to BBC Four for showing The Hand Of Fear as a tribute to the late, great Elisabeth Sladen. Not only is this a classic serial but it also marks the original departure of Sarah Jane Smith in a scene which is arguably the most heart rendering departure of them all.


Tom Baker and Lis Sladen were a magical partnership and her leaving is still affecting to this day when it comes to an end. Sladen's acting in that final scene encompasses her entire contribution to the series. She is funny, heart wrenching, endearing and absolutely beautiful throughout.

And like this scene we will never, ever forget her. God bless Sarah Janes and Lis Sladen.

Doctor Who - The Curse of the Black Spot Review

Unbelievably we are already three episodes into the latest run of Doctor Who and after the momentous events of the first two episodes it was sensible for the show to have its first stand alone episode in a while so we can all take a bit of a breather.

Therefore 'Curse of the Black Spot' had the potential to be a good old fashioned pirate romp on the high seas with lots of fun. Unfortunately it fell a little short. The central premise of the Siren was nicely done and very well realised through CGI in a similar way to the Gelth from 'The Unquiet Dead'. The idea of tissue samples causing the eponymous black spot was also a nice touch. However there was never any real sense of threat and the idea of reflection being the portal for the Siren to transfer to the ship seemed a little woolly in a slightly inconsistent piece of storytelling.

The pirates were also a very uninspiring bunch although Hugh Bonneville did give Captain Avery a nice air of gravitas, especially when conversing with a fellow captain in the form of the Doctor.


The idea of the two ships occupying the same space has been done before in Doctor Who but there is no harm in that. And the twist that the Siren was actually a nurse was interesting as there was no real villainy intended here.



There was a fallibility to the Doctor this week as some of his theories proved wide of the mark. Rory and Amy's marriage strengthened as YET AGAIN Rory appeared to have died until Amy saved him. This motif has now been repeated enough times and should be avoided in future episodes.

Not all story arc strands were ignored. The Tardis once again could not get a clear picture of whether Amy is pregnant. The woman with the eye patch appeared again and seems to be keeping watch over Amy. Could she be some sort of Midwife from an alternative dimension overseeing Amy's strange pregnancy?

We also saw flashbacks of the Doctor's death at the hands of the Astronaut and Amy wrestling with the notion of telling him until Rory dissuaded her. This theme will run throughout the entire series.

So although this is not a classic episode of Doctor Who it is still better than anything else on TV. And it appears things get much more series next week in 'The Doctor's Wife'. The stakes are about to be raised once more!

Suite 101

For those that followed my work on the excellent Suite 101 you can find a link at the bottom of this blog page to my exclusive content for that site. Enjoy!!!

Steve Bartle - Tardis77 on the Internet

For those of you who are interested you can also read my work on both excellent writing sites Bukisa and Suite 101. Articles are mainly to do with WWE Wrestling or Doctor Who but there are also articles on there covering such diverse topics as the works of Salvador Dali to modern day pop culture!

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Doctor Who - Day of the Moon Questions

So with this latest episode of Doctor Who Steven Moffat has done it again! He has created more questions and outstanding plot threads than ever before. Viewers have been crying out for answers and yet we still have more elements to ponder than ever before!!

So what are the main questions fans need to know the answers to? Here we go:

Is Amy actually pregnant? The Tardis Scanner didn't even seem to know!

Why did The Silence have a Tardis like the one seen in The Lodger? Are we to assume that these spaceships belong to them? Are they even a Tardis?


Why was Amy's picture in the Orphanage and who was the baby that she was holding?



Who was in the spacesuit when the Doctor was shot in ' The Impossible Astronaut'?

Why is the little girl regenerating at the end of the 'Day of the Moon'? Is she some sort of Timelord?

Who was the face at the hatch with the eye patch? Who was she referring to as "dreaming"?

Who is River Song? We STILL don't know the answer!

So many questions Mr Moffat. Can we start having at least some answers please! Although the intrigue is great.