Doctor Who Christmas Special

I just finished re-watching this year's Doctor Who Christmas Special, Voyage of the Damned with the family (the first viewing was on Christmas Day). We also watched the episode's Confidential and I have to say the Murray Gold has done it again. He seems to have a knack for writing songs that have the feeling of being old ones from yesteryear -- but one can't quite put one's finger on what they're called or who sang them originally. The first of his songs to have this effect on me was Song For Ten, then there was My Angel Put the Devil in Me and this time it was Stowaway.

And who can mention this year's Doctor Who Christmas Special without mentioning their managing to get Kylie. Here's a classic from a few years back (the Blue Monday mix of Can't Get You Out of My Head):

Are you enjoying Doctor Who as much as these two?

Warning: major Doctor Who spoiler below!
Warning: contains some strong language.

Well, this third season of the new Doctor Who remains on an all-time high, and it was a special pleasure to be able to watch the most recent episode here in England, where we are taking a short break at the moment. I adore this little piece from Youtube, which shows that there are two fans who are enjoying the current series even more than we are. This is them at a particularly climactic moment in Episode 11, Utopia, featuring the wonderful Sir Derek Jacobi:

It seems that they uploaded this video (original here) from their own webcam, and then someone else added the split screen above, so that you can see which bits they are reacting to. My favourite line, "He's got the f***ing TARDIS!".

Doctor Who, Series 3

(Source)Viola, the kids and I are loving the new series of Doctor Who, now the third since its renewal and transformation in 2005 under head writer Russell T. Davies. We are already fans of Freema Agyeman as Martha, although Emily and Lauren insist on how much better Billie Piper was as Rose. Watching it out here on a Saturday night is one of those enjoyable treats that keeps us connected with home. The latest episode, Human Nature, was one of my favourites so far, and I couldn't resist blogging on one of the theological issues it raises over on the NT Gateway Weblog yesterday, Doctor Who, Human Nature and Kenosis. I was delighted to wake up this morning and see a comment on that post from the writer of the episode (who also penned the earlier novel on which it is based), Paul Cornell!

The Doctor and Martha

The intensive Freema Agyeman charm offensive has paid off as far as I'm concerned. She's been everywhere -- from breakfast TV to Blue Peter. And now, after the first episode has aired, we happily welcome her with open arms as The Doctor's new assistant. Long live Russell T. Davies.

As far as Billie Piper is concerned -- we've downloaded Mansfield Park and will be watching it with Mark's parents when they come to visit in about a week (they were on holiday when it aired in the UK).

New Dr Who

The Doctor and MarthaThe new series of Dr. Who is due to air on BBC1 on the 31st of March, so in the Goodacre household the countdown has begun. It'll be interesting to see if the new companion can fill the shoes of Billie Piper. The air time has not yet been confirmed, but is likely to be at about 7pm.

Doctor Who at Christmas

The Runaway Bride is airing on BBC1 at 7pm on Christmas Day and the countdown has begun (mouse over the website). The Doctor Who advent calendar activates a new link that contains a Doctor Who related snippet for each day of advent. So far, Day 2 contains a very silly "Secret Santa" game that provides a brief distraction. Day 4 is also good -- Song for Ten, which Mark and I really like and which was apparently written especially for that episode. Demand for the song has been great, but it has not been available for purchase until now. The song is included in a Doctor Who soundtrack album that was released in the UK on the 4th of December and is due to be released here on the 13th of February. Here's a video (one of many) that I pulled off YouTube:

In fact, what the heck -- here's another good one:

Last year's Christmas Invasion boasted an average viewing figure (in Britain) of 9.84 million and was the second most watched programme of Christmas Day (Eastenders was top with 10.6 million).

We're all looking forward the this year's Christmas special co-starring Catherine Tate. Let's see if it can top last year's ratings.

To get really excited for Christmas, take a look at this BBC Christmas teaser:

It includes Billie Piper in a dramatisation of Philip Pullman's The Ruby in the Smoke (BBC1, 27th Dec., 8:30pm), which we're also looking forward to.

In addition, there is a New Year's day special of The Sarah Jane Adventures airing on New Years Day (BBC1, 4:50pm). A series is set to follow later in the year.

Also look out for the Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) in Heroes (currently one of my favourite US programmes).

Here's the BBC1 Christmas schedule. (If you're one of those unlucky people who happen to not be in the UK over the Christmas period, you have my condolences, but hopefully you'll find some almost-as-good entertainment elsewhere.)

The Doctor Returns to Sci-Fi

DaleksThe second series of Dr Who is due to begin on the SciFi channel on the 29th of September, 8pm ET. And what an excellent series -- especially the final episode. Needless to say, we'll be watching the whole lot again.

The spin-off series Torchwood should be starting on BBC3 some time in October too. This is purportedly aimed at adults. There are also rumours of other spin-offs that are aimed at children -- Sarah Jane Investigates and another attempt at a K-9 spin-off.

I'm also looking forward to this year's Christmas special -- The Runaway Bride, mainly because it's starring the very talented and funny Catherine Tate.

September 15, 2006

The BBC have confirmed plans to air a one hour special of Sarah Jane Investigates in early 2007, followed by a series later in the year.

Doctorin' the TARDIS

The Doctor and Rose

Well, I've never known anything like it.

The first episode of the new series of Dr. Who aired today, in Britain, on BBC1 at 7:15pm (2:15pm here in NC). It finished at 8pm and by 9pm (that's just an hour), we got to download it (along with a few thousand others). Last night we watched a new children's programme that we downloaded for the kids, called Totally Dr. Who. It was like Blue Peter, but with footage from The Christmas Invasion's edition of Dr. Who Confidential. The only interesting part was a section about a couple of teenagers who make their own mini-episodes with a camcorder and PC, in their house and back garden. This reminded us of a certain friend who used to make his own Dr. Who movies as a child and had built (along with some friends) a full size Dalek in his garage, which he used to take along to conventions. Emily pronounced at the end of the programme that it was rubbish, so we may not be bothering with that again. Tonight, we've downloaded the latest Dr. Who Confidential to watch tomorrow night.

So, from here on in we're going to be watching the Christopher Eccleston series on Sci-Fi at the same time as watching the David Tennant series via the internet.

We've already promised the girls the DVDs as soon as they're released in the US.

(By the way, if you're wondering about the title of this post, it's taken from the title of the novelty single by The Timelords (a.k.a. The KLF).)

Dr Who: T minus 0

I couldn't get the most recent theme tune without having to pay for it, so I'm afraid that you have to put up with the theme from the 1996 Paul McGann movie.

The Christopher Eccleston Dr Who series has reached the US at last.
Tonight. Sci-Fi Channel. 9pm Eastern.

Dr Who Confirmation

I said that I'd let you know when the scheduling for Dr. Who on the US Sci-Fi channel is no longer just rumour.

I can now confirm that the Christopher Eccleston series of Dr Who is definitely being aired on the US Sci-Fi channel on the 17th of March at 9pm (Eastern).

The TARDIS Lands on Sci-Fi

The 9th Doctor and Rose

In the UK, the new series of Dr. Who is due to start on the 15th of April (just before Easter).

Here in the US, the Sci-Fi Channel have bought the Christopher Eccleston series of Dr. Who and are due to air it on Friday nights, starting this March. The exact date of its launch is not certain yet, but rumour has it that it's going to be the 17th. I'll let you know when the dates are no longer just rumour. Emily and Lauren are all set to watch the whole lot again.

So, in anticipation of the forthcoming event, here's ten things you wanted to know about Dr. Who, but were always afraid to ask:

1. The Doctor doesn't have a name, but is just known as "The Doctor".
2. The Doctor looks human, but is actually an alien from the planet Gallifrey. He has two hearts.
3. The Doctor is a Timelord.
4. 
   The TARDIS
   A Timelord's ship is called a TARDIS (Time And Relative Dimensions In Space).
5. The Doctor is always accompanied by one or more travelling companions. He currently travels with Rose Tyler (played by Billie Piper).
6. The Doctor's biggest enemies are:
   • Daleks (a Nazi-like race of aliens who live cocooned within machines that keep them alive)
   • Cybermen (pre-dates the Borg by a long way)
   • The Master (a baddie Timelord)
7. A TARDIS can disguise itself to blend in with its environment and not be noticed. The Doctor's TARDIS always looks like an old fashioned British police box because its chameleon circuit is broken and The Doctor has never got round to fixing it.
8. The TARDIS is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside.
9. The TARDIS is not just a ship -- it is also alive.
10. Timelords can cheat death by regenerating whenever they are about to die. The Doctor always used to become younger with each regeneration, but seems to have equilibrated at about age 30 or so (I suppose that one cannot have him running around saving the world in a nappy (diaper). Christopher Eccleston is the 9th Doctor.

OK, we're not getting the new series, but repeats are better than nothing.

Doctor Who

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Many Americans reading this may not know what I'm on about, but put your hand up if you're looking forward to the Dr Who Christmas Invasion, due to air on Christmas Day on BBC1. Every time she thinks about it, Lauren gets so excited that she goes round the house singing the theme tune. When it was still online, she watched the Children in Need prequel over and over again.

I grew up with Tom Baker as The Doctor, Mark's Doctor was John Pertwee. Before the new series started (the Christopher Eccleston series), we primed our children. When it started, we sat them down and watched it with them -- after all, Dr Who is part of our English heritage. It is as British as cricket, tea and scones, or Marmite; and they needed to be educated.

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We were on tenterhooks because we weren't sure that Russell Davies could pull it off. We dreaded a travesty, like that awful film starring Paul McGann. Our fears were unfounded. The children loved it and so did the adults. Let's hope that David Tennant is as good.

The good news is that we're going to be in the UK on Christmas Day, so can watch The Christmas Invasion. Unfortunately, though, we will have to wait until the second series makes it's way onto DVD or BBC America before we can watch it.

The other thing is, who would have thought that Billie Piper would come to something? Hats off to her.

If you're feeling nostalgic for Dr Whos of yesteryear, try perusing the TV ARK Dr Who pages.