Tag Archives: Steven Moffat
Day of the Doctor Trailers
So with just under two weeks to go til the 50th Anniversary special of Doctor Who, we finally have a trailer for the episode -and not just one the BBC spoils us and gives us two! One smaller trailer was leaked early Saturday afternoon and the second premiered last night. Below is both trailers:
Well even though it took so long for these trailers to appear, they were well worth the wait. The special looks amazing. I'm even more excited to find out exactly what Steven Moffat has cooked up. It's even more brilliant to see David Tennant back as the 10th Doctor and even more sweet to see just how much chemistry him and Matt Smith have, even in that minute and a half footage. Moffat has promised us plenty of surprises and maybe even more guest stars that have not already been mentioned.
There are so many questions and clues to come out of these trailers – who is John Hurt's Doctor and where does he fit in? What is the moment? And does the return of the fez mean trouble or is this going back in the 11th Doctor's timeline to the end of series 5?One thing's for sure – I truly can't wait for this!
Doctor Who will air on the 23rd November simultaneously across the world.
10th Doctor: For once I'd like to know where we are going
11th Doctor: No, you really wouldn't (The Day of the Doctor)
Posted in Rachel, Television
Tagged 50th Anniversary, Billie Piper, David Tennant, Doctor Who, Jenna-Louise Coleman, John Hurt, Matt Smith, Rachel, Steven Moffat
The 12th Doctor is announced!
Back in June, Matt Smith announced that he would be bowing out in this year's Christmas Special as The Doctor. Naturally, a lot of fans were heartbroken, but speculation immediately hit on who would be the next Doctor –would he be old? Would the cast the first black Doctor? Would they cast a woman?
Some quite frankly ridiculous suggestions have been bandied around by the British media; Dame Helen Mirren, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ben Whisaw and Tom Hiddleston have all had a mention at some point. The wait was finally over tonight as the BBC revealed the person who would be playing the next incarnation of the Doctor in a special live show. Since the announcement about the announcement, this actor has had only a few days of obscurity left, until they are thrown head-first into a role of a lifetime. And the lucky person is….
PETER CAPALDI!
Scottish actor Capaldi already has built up quite a career for himself, with most knowing him as foul-mouthed Malcolm Tucker in The Thick of It, although it's fair to say I don't think he'll be channelling that character in Doctor Who. He's actually already appeared in an episode of Who (The Fires of Pompeii) and was also in series 3 of Torchwood, so he's no stranger to the world of the Time Lord. I think he's a fabulous actor and a brave choice, considering all those teenagers that love Matt Smith because they fancy him, probably won't fancy Peter Capaldi (or maybe they will?)
I'm excited for the future of Doctor Who, and I just hope Moffat doesn't mess it up!
Come the fuck in or fuck the fuck off. (Malcolm Tucker, The Thick of it)
Tagged Doctor Who, Peter Capaldi, Rachel, Steven Moffat
Doctor Who Series 7 Part 2
After a 3 month gap since the Christmas episode and an even bigger gap since the departure of the Ponds, Doctor Who was finally back on our screens! Matt Smith returns as our favourite Time Lord – bow tie and all, and Jenna-Louise Colman is fully unleashed as the new companion after appearing in two previous episodes.
After some initial reservations of Series 7 Part 1 of Doctor Who, I ended up completely loving its small run towards the end of 2012 – the stories were exciting, gripping and it was a fantastic send-off for Amy Pond and Rory Williams. I approached this run of episodes with the same level of trepidation but I have to say, I was largely disappointed.
Some might say the reason for this might be the change in companions, but honestly, I love Jenna-Louise Colman as Clara Oswald. She's intriguing, exciting, funny and spunky and my personal highlight for this run of episodes. I think the main problem for me were the storylines for each episode not being exciting enough – I only watched one episode when it aired live which says a lot considering I never used to miss an episode.
The opener to the second half of the series The Bells of St John, packed a lot into its 45 minutes, and while Jenna and Matt had excellent chemistry which made it seem they had been working together for years, the story for me fell short. The Rings of Akhaten's overall storyline was quite poor, but you felt emotionally involved with Clara as she explored her first alien world which has become somewhat a rite of passage for every new companion. The third episode The Cold War despite re-booting The Ice Warriors for the modern-era Doctor Who, the storyline was again quite weak; it wasn't until Hide that the show started hitting its stride for me. A creepy, haunted house was the back-drop for the week's episode, and coupled with a couple of love stories inter-woven through, it seemed Who was back on track.
The TARDIS centric episode Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS certainly wasn't as stand-out as The Doctor's Wife, but it gave us a deeper look into the inside of the TARDIS, its numerous corridors and a library with a particularly interesting book, revealing the Doctor's name. The strongest episode by far out of the bunch was The Crimson Horror starring screen legend Dame Diana Rigg and her real-life daughter Rachel Stirling. It also saw the welcome return of Strax, Madame Vastra and Jenny who are fast becoming a firm fan favourite. They are certainly Smith's equivalent of figures such as Captain Jack from the Tennant era and bring humour and heart to the episodes they're in. The storyline was an intriguing mystery, and real-life mother and daughter were on excellent form as an on-screen mother and daughter. Another small highlight was Matt Smith pulling off a cracking Yorkshire accent, but all in all The Crimson Horror was a solid return to form for the Doctor Who team.
The penultimate episode Nightmare in Silver again was a particularly strong episode with Neil Gaiman hoping to recreate the success of his first episode, by bringing back the Cybermen. The Cybermen have been absent from Doctor Who for quite a while, and they certainly seemed like a dominant threat throughout this episode. There were quite a few highlights from Clara taking charge of the troops, to the genius casting of Warwick Davis and the fantastic work of Matt Smith during the chess game scenes, as he plays the Doctor and a Borg version of himself.
This leads us to the season finale: the episode title The Name of the Doctor led fans to believe that the Doctor's greatest secret was perhaps just inches away from being revealed. Add to this the fact that Strax, Vastra and Jenny were back and we get to see the fabulous Alex Kingston reprise her role as River Song, and you get a finale that is simply mouth-watering for fans. Of course when it comes to Steven Moffat, nothing is ever straightforward and the name of the Doctor was never revealed, although it didn't stop the episode from being a fantastic way to end the season. The episode did give us a resolution to the mystery that was Clara however, and it actually made sense! As she jumps into the Doctor's timeline, she suddenly appears throughout his life-span, and having Jenna-Louise Colman appear in archive footage was a great geeky moment. It also cleverly explains how the Doctor had met her twice previously; the phrase "Run you clever boy" has well and truly being coined by Clara Oswald. On a side note, the episode also felt like an ending of a chapter for the character of River Song. She is the last remnant of the Pond era, and it felt appropriate to bring her back for one last episode to give some closure.
The end of the episode also brought a massive reveal which set up the 50thanniversary brilliantly. A shadowy figure that's seen in the distance and the reveal that he was the one that had broken the promise of the name of the Doctor leads none other than John Hurt to turn around and be revealed as another face of the Doctor. The fact that this was kept largely under wraps is a brilliant coup for the Doctor Who team and it just leads to major speculation about how John Hurt fits into the equation. Is he a Doctor from the past that we've never met? How did he break his promise and what exactly did he do?
My own personal theory on the matter is that this could be the half human half Doctor version of the Doctor, who we last saw at the end of Journey's End played by David Tennant. John Hurt could well be the older version of that character…
The Name of the Doctor was certainly the most satisfying, exciting and all-round entertaining finale Moffat has provided us with through his run as exec producer. The episode resolved a few strands that run through the series, but also set up the 50th anniversary special in November, which promises to be an absolute classic. As well as Matt Smith, Jenna-Louise Colman and John Hurt we'll also have David returning as the 10th Doctor and Billie Piper returning to her role as Rose Tyler. November cannot come quick enough!
As I've been writing this post, it has been announced that Matt Smith will be leaving Doctor Who after the Christmas Special and that the search is already underway for the next actor to play the Doctor. The names being thrown around by the press are all interesting ones – some quite high profile and some more obscure names, but until the announcement has been made official, I'm keeping an open mind.
I first became a fan of Doctor Who through David Tennant's 10th incarnation of The Doctor. I had seen one or two episodes of Chris Eccleston's series (and did go back and watch them after becoming a fan), but it was certainly Tennant's charm, wit, humour, passion and "Allonsy" that made me fall in love with Doctor Who. I've never watched any of the older series of Doctor Who pre- Russell T. Davies era and I don't mind that I'm considered to be a fan of the "new Who". When Tennant announced that he was leaving, I was devastated – I literally sobbed my way through his final episode, and cried again during Doctor Who Confidential. However, I adapted well to change, and Matt Smith is a brilliant incarnation of the Doctor – he has the same zany qualities as Tennant, but seems to have more fire in his belly, a sense of adventure and a more child-like quality to his Doctor. Even though he's a lot younger than Tennant, he does a brilliant job in portraying someone who's a lot older and you sense The Doctor has been through a lot. Smith delivers The Doctor's epic speeches with a sense of wisdom, authority and insistence that The Doctor can fix any problem (one such instance being in the second episode of this run The Rings of Akhaten). But I would be otherwise lying if I didn't say that MY Doctor was David Tennant so therefore I wasn't weeping in a corner when it was announced that he was leaving.
I've mostly enjoyed where Doctor Who has gone in terms of its creative path – I've loved the introduction of characters, and the arcs that it has gone through, and I do think that Steven Moffat is a force to be reckoned with it terms of his writing skills and pure mind-boggling plot twists. But that's the part that bothers me about Doctor Who now – has the show grown too complex? First and foremost Doctor Who has always prided itself as being appropriate for children and for families, but if adults are finding it difficult to follow the show and its twisting plot lines, then how is a child going to understand it? I first started to notice it last year, and the gripe has kept with me since then. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that I'm not a fan of the direction the show has gone in, I just wish it wasn't so mind-numbing all the time –sometimes simple stories are also incredibly enjoyable.
Matt Smith will certainly be missed by many when he hangs up his jacket come December; even though the rumours had been rife for a while, I thought he would have one more season in him before he left for pastures new. His new role in a Ryan Gosling directed film is a huge boost for his career, and he truly deserves it. This run of Doctor Who has been slightly underwhelming for me, and I only really started to enjoy it through the 3 last episodes of the run, but I will miss Matt Smith when he leaves. For now though, the countdown in my calendar is on until the 50th anniversary special airs in November and my inner geek is unleashed – Tennant and Smith? Let the fan-girl squealing commence!
"Oh no! Not the one with the gigantic head?
It's hair, Strax"
(The Name of the Doctor, Doctor Who)
Tagged Doctor Who, Jenna-Louise Coleman, Matt Smith, Rachel, Steven Moffat
Doctor Who is back…
It's only 6 days to go until the new series of Doctor Who airs and to give fans a little something extra Stephen Moffat has written a short prequel for the new series
And for further effect, here is the UK and American trailers for the second part of the 7th series!
Who is Clara Oswald? How will this series set up the 50th Anniversary special? And will the question be answered – Doctor Who?
Clara:Doctor, are we going to be okay?
Doctor: Oh yes (!)
Clara: Is that a lie?
Doctor: Possibly
(Doctor Who)
Doctor Who 7.05 "The Angels Take Manhattan"
The final episode of this half of Series 7 is the ending of an era, with the departure of Amelia Pond and Rory Williams, and as promised Moffat delivered a tear-jerker of an episode, set within the impressive landscape of New York, and featuring the creepy, frightening Weeping Angels.
It's no secret that the team spent time filming scenes in New York, and this episode looks visually brilliant. I also particularly liked the film noir style to the episode, including the musical score provided by Murray Gold, the stalwart composer of the show. I thought it was fitting that the Ponds' exited with a monster with some importance in the Whoverse and I think it can be argued that the Angels are still one of the more terrifying monsters in the show.
Let's move on to the main focus of the episode – the acting and the departure of the Ponds. Let's make no secrets here – I definitely shed a few tears during this episode (along with half the country I'm sure). The episode was wonderfully written by Moffat, particularly the final 'suicide pact' style scene with Amy and Rory and the graveyard ending, Of course the writing was also beautifully acted by all four of the main players in this episode: Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, Arthur Darvill and Alex Kingston (returning as the fabulously secretive River Song). Matt Smith does a fantastic job throughout the episode, conveying the emotions of losing Amy – delivering a heartfelt but ultimately quite selfish plea for Amy to stay with him. Alex Kingston also gave a solid performance, particularly when it seemed the Doctor forgot that River was about to lose her parents for good – one of my emotional moments of the episode. The Doctor and River are also reunited for the first time since they married, and its brilliant to see their banterous and flirty relationship again – Smith and Kingston do a great job especially with the lovers tiff they have when he fixes River's wrist.
Stellar performances yet again from Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill as well, indeed they have been on point throughout the series-particularly Darvill. I've loved his progression in his acting and in Rory from when we first saw him in The Eleventh Hour – as soon as he marched through those doors and uttered "Where is my wife?!" in A Good Man Goes to War he instantly became a hero. Gillan has also done a wonderful job as Amy – as the girl who waited and who spent the first episode running round in a sexy police uniform, the character has flourished and grown and the series has launched Gillan as a fabulous actress.
Both actors have successfully moved on from Doctor Who –Gillan has done a couple of tv shows including We'll Take Manhattan which was great (well worth a watch if you can find it online) and Darvill is currently starring in the West End play Our Boys alongside Matthew Lewis and Laurence Fox (I saw this last week and also fully recommend this!)
Yes, there were tears at the end of the episode, but overall I think it was a great ending for the two characters – they did get killed off, but I felt the real tragedy was the fact they weren't allowed to see the Doctor again as they lived out the rest of their lives – a man who had become so a part of theirs. I think it was perfect that they got to spend the rest of their lives with each other though. Their relationship was as much at the heart at the series and I think it's fitting that they were together and got their long and happy lives together.
On a personal note, I'm really going to miss Rory and Amy (and Karen and Arthur) I think it's clear from Doctor Who Confidential episodes and any press that they've done together that the three of them have got a real bond and it definitely came across on screen. The dynamic of the three of them on the TARDIS worked, Gillan's Amy was strong, sassy female companion –often sarky and fiercely loyal. I'll definitely look back at their time on the TARDIS with fond memories. However, Christmas now approaches and I'm looking forward to the special and what Jenna Louise Coleman brings to the show, and how the Doctor copes with their departure.
Amy and Rory…we'll miss you!
Hmnph what will I possibly do with my Saturday nights now?
Oh wait Merlin starts this Saturday at 7.45pm –excellent
"I always rip out the last page of a book. Then it doesn't have to end. I hate endings."(The Doctor)
Tagged Alex Kingston, Arthur Darvill, Doctor Who, Karen Gillan, Matt Smith, Rachel, Steven Moffat
Doctor Who 7.01 "Asylum of the Daleks"
So, these are gonna be an extremely LATE set of reviews in preparation for the final episode this Saturday, and the emotional exit of the Ponds. Asylum of the Daleks was an impressive opening episode written by showrunner Steven Moffat and also saw the return of the Daleks.
Now for those eager beavers (me included), the small 5-part drama Pond Life that aired online the week leading up to the first episode was delightful for those die-hard fans, craving any clues to the series ahead. However it did leave us with a slight 24-hour cliff-hanger when it showed Rory leaving and Amy crying, leaving the impression that they had broke up.
Queue Saturday night where my house was silent (my housemates having been pre-warned about my tendencies to shout if people spoke during my TV time). Despite the fact that there had been a few screenings of the first episode both in the UK and America, Steven Moffat had asked for no spoilers to be revealed which was a good thing because….
Wait! What? Is that…NO…OH MY GEEKY GOODNESS YES! It's Jenna Louise Coleman aka the new companion after the Ponds leave (although she's a couple months early!) Sneaky Moffat fibbed to us all and there was Jenna appearing as Oswin Oswald; charming, sexy, full of tenacity and extremely witty (enough to Give Matt Smith's Doctor a run for his money) her actual fate revealed at the end of the episode leaves us feeling genuinely sorry for her character. Speculation has now been rife as to how she is going to appear in the Christmas episode when she officially takes on the role of companion. I am now extremely excited to see what Coleman can do as I simply loved her character throughout this episode –those one liners!
But back to the other nitty gritty moments of the story. The Daleks are back, and they're crazy, which makes for an even more scary version of them. I got to say the thing that creeped me out the most was the Daleks appearing as humans. It just made it even more terrifying and freaky.
However, my stand out moments this week can courtesy of the Ponds. It had been teased at during the mini online drama but the opening 5 minutes showed that Rory and Amy's relationship had deteriorated to the point that they were going to get divorced. The idea that something major had happened to their relationship is definitely unsettling seeing as the couple have been so stalwart previously.
The scene with the admission that Amy now has problems conceiving children after Demon's Run is heartbreaking and is acted beautifully by Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill. It has always been a long-running suggestion that Rory loved Amy more because he waited for her for 2,000 years. However, Amy reveals that she is just as invested in their relationship as he is, proclaiming that she gave him up. We see her vulnerable side and through this the couple mend, bringing them back to perhaps the most happiest they've been together. I genuinely love this couple and these two actors have such a great chemistry together – you can tell that they are friends in real life and I feel they've built up a great on-screen relationship together.
So, the countdown to the end of the Ponds has begun! If the other episodes this series are anything like this, it's gonna be a fantastic end for Amy and Rory!
Rory: So, how much trouble are we in?
The Doctor: How much trouble, Mr Pond? Out of ten? Eleven. (Asylum of the Daleks)
Tagged Doctor Who, Rachel, Steven Moffat