With its origins way back in 2009, Doctor Who fans everywhere were eagerly awaiting the release of the much-loved Elisabeth Sladen's autobiography. After her unfortunate and untimely death in April 2011, the prospect became unheard of, until a few months ago, when we were told that the posthumous autobiography was going to be released in November.
Although at first I had slight doubts about the book, the prologue alone dispelled any and every concern. In it, David Tennant reminisces on his first day at work where he met Elisabeth Sladen, and the absolute awe he had for her, saying that the scenes they shared were "the most thrilling [he] had on Doctor Who."
Throughout the book, a similar feeling of awe resonated in me, and I am sure, in every reader too. Elisabeth's effortless introspective narrative shifted between her time on The Sarah Jane Adventures, and her time on Doctor Who, reflecting the similar importance she had of both.
Between the illustrious and heart-warming memories Elisabeth shares with us is a selection of photographs, highlighting key moments in Elisabeth's life. It was interesting to see the various newspaper clippings from her personal collection, including photos of her time with various Doctors. Most interesting was a Midsummer's Night Dream programme, a production which starred Helen Mirren! "In a toss up between me and Helen Mirren, I was voted 'Most Likely to Succeed!'" she remarked.
Elisabeth's witty and detailed anecdotes on her time as Sarah Jane Smith gives a real insight into the mind of such a talented actress, someone who has achieved so much and experienced a lot too. Whilst reading the autobiography, it almost felt as if Elisabeth's warm voice was pouring over every word: her endearing sighs at bygone disappointments, her surprised tones at shocking discoveries and her gentle laughter at the humorous memories.
Brian and Sadie Miller's epilogue really summed up why Elisabeth Sladen was so fantastic both on-screen and off. Her passion and devotion to both her work and her family paid off and she will be forever remembered as the hard-working and appreciative actress whose presence was like a glimmering hope and whose death shall always be regarded as one of the most heartbreaking of them all.
Well the wait was finally over! After months of twiddling our thumbs and jumping enthusiastically over episode teasers, the episode finally aired - but did it deliver?
Since its premiere in October 2006, Torchwood has been a runaway success. With its initial viewing ratings of 2.5 million and critical acclaim, Torchwood made a giant move to BBC Two, where it provided yet another amazing series (with ratings reaching 4.3 million.) The added success moved the show yet again to its best slot at BBC One - and all in three years.
Alongside a new budget and a tighter storyline, Children Of Earth smashed Torchwood's previous successes with an average of 6 million people tuning into the series. With a new schedule and a new feel, Torchwood was on top of its game, with critics acclaiming it as a "true treasure" and not a "mindless sci-fi action-fest."
But then the came the announcement that Torchwood was moving to America.
Arguably, one of things which made Torchwood so unique and successful was its fixed British-ness. The Welsh surroundings, the locality, the settings and who were affected all remained grounded, becoming a pivotal part of the show and creating a strong connection between the viewer and the story. Even Children of Earth focused strongly on this, despite bringing the whole world into danger.
But has Torchwood's trip to America taken this away? The whole world is affected, again, but we don't see Wales any more. Instead, Miracle Day is littered with shots and scenes which look like haphazard cuttings from various American thrillers. Leaving Gwen as the only real connector between Miracle Day and Torchwood's previous series has made her seem isolated in this new setting, perhaps underlining what many viewers back home also feel.
Even though the ratings are dropping in the UK, they seem to be hesitantly rising in the US. It must be noted that Torchwood is, ironically, alien in America and this new format is their first encounter of it. But this begs the question - is Torchwood trying too hard to get into America's good books? That is a possibility; but Torchwood was picked up by Starz which helped produce it, so the American-ness was inevitable. Further, cracking the American market is gradually becoming easier and more frequent for homegrown UK shows (Sherlock, Doctor Who) so there is more to gain from it.
Let's say Torchwood stuck to the UK and did not budge. It is possible that Russell and his team would have eventually run out of ideas and hopelessly given up. The tight boundaries which Torchwood rigged itself with in the first two series could have led to its downfall. It can also be argued that the next step was to take Torchwood across the Atlantic - after all, it would be awkward to reduce it to its roots after Children of Earth. One reason why Torchwood is being received less enthusiastically in the UK could be due to its drastic change of setting: maybe the British audience wasn't ready for it yet.
So America for Torchwood may not have been a bad idea after all. But with ratings dropping in the UK, Russell and Co might have to think hard about the next series.
Take the best bits from the annuals, the Encyclopaedia and general Doctor Who-ness and what do you get? This little wonder! Monster Miscellany is amazingly up-to-speed with Doctor Who, which makes it a perfect addition to anyone's growing Who collection. With a detailed look into the past, it also makes a great gift for kids who have just started to get into Doctor Who. Older fans will enjoy classic legends such as the Sandminer Robots and Quarks getting mentions. The book is a great source of knowledge and the creators have certainly worked very hard in compiling lots of quotes and facts. 4/5
This year's annual is lit up with amazing imagery and a hauntingly attractive cover. As with many previous annuals, the games and little tid-bits are really well written and descriptive. 'Snow White and the Seven Keys to Doomsday' was a particular favourite, echoing back to a tale of Ye Olde Gallifrey. However, some observant Whovians may notice some image errors (this is not Rose's Doctor from Journey's End!) But the best thing is, it comes with a free poster! 4.5/5
Don't be put off by the double A-side like title! It's better than that. Much better, actually.
For parents, this might be just the thing for your kids. The two-in-one book, a new for the Doctor Who series, is great for keeping the little 'uns interested and page-turning. Both Trevor Baxendale and Justin Richards adopt a very good - and simple - writing style to appeal to younger fans, so this would not be recommended for older people!
The stories themselves are perfect microcosms of the show itself, echoing the most recent series moreso than the previous ones, especially because of the 'dark' atmospheres the two stories create.
Older Planet Gallifrey readers may also be interested to know that a certain Jess makes an appearance! She (unrelated to our Jess, of course) plays the part of the real, 'down-to-earth' token characters which will have a slightly profound effect on the kids.
Planet Gallifrey rates Death Riders by Justin Richards / Heart of Stone by Trevor Baxendale
It is bizzare to begin with, because you don't normally get stories centred around computer "viruses" running amok. Jason Arnopp, however, masterfully weaves in the seemingly undisturbed and suburban Bannerman Road with horror and danger so effortlessly... it's a shame that he hasn't written more stuff for the show!
Starting off slowly, the story progresses but perhaps too slowly. Most of the action at the beginning is set in the Attic which is quite static. However, when the pace quickens, it begins to get more interesting.
Elisabeth's voice is lovely and warm as always, especially at points throughout the story where there is danger and excitement present, because she starts speaking really-really-fast and your ears somehow manage to keep up whilst taking in everything. However, her attempt at doing Clyde will never be completely perfect. Everyone has faults, I suppose.
In terms of characterisation, the main four are mostly faithful to their televisual counterparts. Unfortunately, we don't get as much interaction between Rani, Clyde or Luke as in previous audiobooks, because it seems to be a very Mr Smith heavy story. That's not to say that it's bad; it's certainly refreshing to hear a supporting 'character' have a major role for once.
Deadly Download is one of the stronger Sarah Jane Adventures audiobooks in the series, but it is not the best. It has a lot of clever, dramatic moments and on the whole, it's definitely a worthy addition to the collection.
It's weird hearing Matt Smith's voice at first, but pretty soon, his vocal beauty sinks in and it becomes effortlessly entwined with the story. Fortunately for us, Matt's Texan twang is not as cheesy as one would expect. Amy's accent however... not so good. Thankfully, we don't hear her inconsistent babble as much (which is probably the best for the ears.) As Vin would say, "Docterr, that's completely insane."
All credit to composer Simon Hunt, whose wonderful work makes a delightfully creepy atmosphere to back the story. The quick, ominous thuds of thunderous thunder in tense, Western-esque scenes are very heart-jolting.
Oli Smith's masterful writing brings intrigue, as well as simplicity. The story is not overwritten and heavy, instead, it's light and easily understandable. He characterises the Doctor and Amy very well, and you can't help but just laugh at the awkward, zany comments the Doctor makes at the wrong times. Amy's feisty nature is certainly evident in this story, especially her encounter with a group of aggressive men (Eep.)
The only weakness lies during the fast-paced, action scenes (which are prevalent), where the listener would get a tad confused as to who is speaking. Again, Amy's voice comes into this example. Is she Scottish, Texas, American or Liverpudlian?
All in all, the audiobook is very pleasing and a promising start of what is to come.
THIS IS AN OPINION. IF YOU DON'T LIKE OPINIONS, PLEASE TURN AWAY. THANK YOU.
The prospect of a new Doctor was exciting. Then came the news of a new companion. New head writer. New executive producers. New TARDIS. New Sonic Screwdriver. New titles. New theme tune. Eh, aren't we getting carried away here?
Unfortunately, they did. If 'Everybody's Favourite Doctor' leaving wasn't bad enough, Moffat went ahead and revamped the entire show - literally. Doctor Who now became a darker show, with a different atmosphere. Long gone were the days when the Doctor could tow the Earth with his friends. And many fans were not happy.
The series opened magnificently: The Eleventh Hour, also praised by critics, boasted an intriguing storyline and a very unusual encounter with the future companion. A week later, the edge-of-your-seat stuff we had seen was replaced by a depressing 45 minutes, in which we see a chav-monarch (she's the bloody Queen!) and a Space Whale. 'nuff said.
As weeks progressed, the pattern continued as the story quality fluctuated. Whereas Victory of the Daleks polarised fans, The Time of Angels fuelled applauses across the country. Amy Pond was also a cause of controversy amongst Whovians; is she still a cold, silhouetted figure whom nobody really knows, or is she a fantastically shaped character? Truthfully, we still don't know who she is. Those cringing moments coupled with the odd emotional scene made her a really incoherent character. Whether that was intentional remains to be unknown.
But the most irritating matter, is that Doctor Who needed no strong, well-thought climax... because the Doctor is famous. He's now a universal celebrity who can simply declare his name and make aliens tremble at their knees. What good is that, apart from depreciating the essence of Doctor Who? Moffat should not rely on the Doctor's popularity as a solution, because that does not make him the strong and morally brave character he is meant to be.
Ultimately, the series lacked that something: whether it was the special ingredient which was used by Mr. T Davies, or if it was the emotional strength of the companion... it made the series seem hollow and not living up to its generous expectations. There were many gems in the series which definitely shaped Matt's Doctor, namely The Eleventh Hour and Flesh & Stone but by placing them with apathetic stories, they were brought down to a point where nobody could truly appreciate their brilliance.
BBC Audio's latest book, Doctor Who and the Terror of the Autons, seems like the perfect release to compliment the return of a certain plastic specie in the current series, as well as the news of a certain Jo Grant appearing in The Sarah Jane Adventures. The audiobook, read by the devilishly delightful Geoffrey Beavers, boasts the first appearances of the (equally devilish) Master, Jo Grant and Mike Yates - opening a huge door for appearances to come.
The story itself is written masterfully by Uncle Terry (Dicks, that is), brought to life by the amazing sound which creates a Classic Who atmosphere, without being too Classic. The listener does not need to know about the Auton's first invasion (Spearhead From Space - 1970) as there are many references and explanations as we see a whole new world through Jo's eyes. Beevers' portrayal of the Third Doctor is especially spot-on, and we also get an appearance from Bessie.
All in all, the story keeps you on tenterhooks the whole way through by meandering through different, extraordinary tales and bringing it to a crescendo of a finale.
As part of the Doctor Who ... at the BBC collection, Elisabeth Sladen presents this delightful reflection at the show's success and popularity, complete with a vibrant back-catalogue of radio interviews with actors past and present.
Beginning with a particularly random extract from Barney Harwood's BBC Radio 7's show (which may also be interpreted as something else...) it then jumps straight into 2005, where we see a particularly norven Chris Eccleston chatting to Jo 'Man Voice' Whiley and playing a 'Which Alien Said This?' game, which he fails quite miserably at... no Chris, not having met the Cybermen is no excuse not to know what they sound like! (Even Jo Whiley knows more than him! No that's not funny, it's actually terrifying...) Chris also nearly spoils the Series 1 finale... whoops!
Never fear, we return to the "ever enthusiastic" Jo Whiley and her quizzes, and we see what a fan David Tennant really is - an even bigger one than Jo Whiley! Cannae believe it! We also learn that David Tennant had an "action man sized" "Faith Brown" lookalike of a Tom Baker doll! Oh dear. (Jo Whiley also spoils Rose's departure, leaving David to cleverly shush it up. Nice job.)
We go to the ever lovely and humble Freema Agyeman and the promotion for Series 3, which also sees the possible "dire consequences" of the Manchester United match overrunning and cancelling the airing of Gridlock. Beware of Mitch Benn's painful singing...
"I don't remember anyone being a Doctor Who fan!" confesses Catherine Tate, when interviewing David Tennant on the Radio 4 show Chain Reaction in 2008. Of course, this leads to her return as the fiesty Donna Noble, which then brings us to... the departure of Russell T Davies! The presenter seemingly interviews some random Doctor Who fan as if he is interviewing Russell himself (a bit weird) but there ya go. (Beware of the most stupidest questions ever - "What did Russell T Davies bring to the new Doctor Who?" Um, he brought it back.)
Overall, this volume is GREAT. The only downside is that you might end up become deaf from the continuous replaying of the Doctor Who theme tune... but that's expected right? It is a shame that the end of David Tennant's era is not looked upon too much, but then again, its focus on the early days of the revival is well done and probably the main aim of the product.
