Kopic's Doctor Who & Torchwood News |
| Posted: 26 Jun 2008 02:49 PM CDT Ace and Rose are dodging and destroying Daleks when they come across a chamber filled with massive cyberman technology. They decide to destroy it.  | ||
| Posted: 26 Jun 2008 12:41 PM CDT Doctor Who Adventures issue 70, is out across the United Kingdom.  | ||
| Posted: 26 Jun 2008 09:05 AM CDT I have to confess: I am wetting myself with excitement over the season 30/Series 4 finale. Regular readers will know that I'm not one to get all over excited, emotional and generally "OH MY GOD!" about Doctor Who, with a few rare exceptions. Yet with Rusty Lee Davidson raising his game terrifically in the past few weeks, and a set of teasers that would make the most ardent Who non believer curious, I can honestly say that I am ready, as well as slightly fearful. After all, beyond the wonderful "EXTERMINATE" trailer - do they do awards for these things? - The Stolen Earth and Journey's End, that is effectively it for Davies and the Doctor Who era 2005-2009. A handful of specials that may or may not have direct input from the big man aside, we're approaching the end of an era, folks. While they state of 2009 is still up in the air, we'll refrain from providing a detailed retrospection of The Davies Era of Doctor Who. Instead, let's put things in perspective - he had the balls to do it his way, regardless of what fans like me, fans like Mad Larry and fans like the fiercely anti-gay mob on rec.arts.drwho felt, said and wrote on the matter. There is little more impressive than someone sticking to their guns.  | ||
| Posted: 26 Jun 2008 08:45 AM CDT Apparently this little beauty has been custom built for an unknown buyer. We've no idea if the Dalek is for a television personality or a Doctor Who fan with a particular fondness for his possessions, but its certainly an interesting item. We'll leave the moral arguments on mounting a CCTV surveillance camera in a childs toy to The Gadget Monkey - although don't forget you could team up your Dalek cam with an 18" Dalek on guard patrol...  | ||
| Posted: 26 Jun 2008 08:35 AM CDT rRS8hDCiH9M  | ||
| Posted: 26 Jun 2008 06:30 AM CDT  In my musings on the previous episode, Midnight, I said: 'Doctor Who, to its credit, has never gone down the route of doing the "flashback episode" with the bulk of the content being scenes from earlier shows.' Now I swear that I had no idea what the content of Turn Left was when I wrote that, and yet with this episode we have now had the closest to a flashback episode yet.What I am impressed with most, is that aside from a couple of short clips (mainly from The Runaway Bride as far as I could spot) there was very little reused footage, and so much of the apparent material from the earlier episodes was new, or was so well integrated into the narrative that it was hard to tell that it was reused in the first place. But never the less, Turn Left is a flashback episode, going back over Donna's life and showing what it might have been like if she never met the Doctor, all revolving around a pivotal decision for her to turn left to a job with H C Clements rather than turning right for a job with Jival Chowdry. The initial set-up is interesting but perhaps flawed. Visiting an alien market, Donna is tempted into a fortune teller's booth while the Doctor is distracted. The Teller - who seemed to have the same annoying voice as Chantho, the character played by the same actress from Utopia ... I kept expecting her to add 'Chan' to the start and 'tho' to the end of her sentences again! Which is odd as the actress' natural voice sounds nothing like that - seems to have an unreasonable desire to change Donna's history and so while she gets Donna to pin down the point of decision, so a thing approaches Donna from behind and attaches itself to her back. I wasn't sure if they were targetting Donna, or if the fact it was Donna was accidental? Donna is then thrown back to that point of her decision, and she turns right. Thus never getting caught up in the schemes of the Racnoss, and never meeting the Doctor. Because of this, the Doctor dies when the river Thames floods the Racnoss' lair, and so there is no Doctor in the world to help prevent the subsequent invasions and cataclysms. So we step through the various outcomes: the Doctor dies battling the Racnoss; when the Royal Hope hospital is taken to the moon by the Judoon, only Morganstern survives. Martha, Sarah Jane Smith, Luke, Maria and Clyde (from the Sarah Jane Adventures show) all die (I'm not quite sure why Sarah and the others were even there though). By this point I was just getting annoyed. Annoyed by Catherine Tate's lack of any descernable acting talent as she ranged from shouty to teary with not very much in between. Annoyed by the incidental music which punched bars from character's 'themes' every time they were mentioned. And annoyed that this was all a bit silly. At each juncture Donna bumps into a mysterious blonde woman who we know to be Rose. Unfortunately she looks nothing like the Rose we knew, apparently having had some sort of strange hairstyle foisted on her as well as comprehensive dental work which made it impossible for her to talk without lisping or being able to actually open her mouth when speaking. All very strange indeed. Rose tells Donna to take a holiday next Christmas ... she obviously knows something is going to happen. And it does - a replica of the Titanic crashes on Buckingham Palace and a nuclear explosion wipes out southern England. So everyone is evacuated to the north of England, but help from America does not materialise as they have been devastated by everyone dying when their fat metamorphoses into Adipose, and then the Atmos systems in the cars activate, killing everyone in Europe ... and in the resolution to this, Gwen and Ianto from Torchwood die, and Jack Harkness is transported to the Sontaran homeworld! This episode is a veritable bloodbath! The best performances by far come from Bernard Cribbins as Wilf (who I have praised in the past) and Joseph Long as Rocco Calasanto. These actors show everyone else how to do it, and their scenes are fun and poignant and carry weight as a result. Unfortunately just about in every scene of importance, Tate is awful. Eventually, Donna sees the stars going out while watching them with Wilf, an event that the blonde girl predicted, and so Donna finally goes with Rose as she is apparently the last hope for mankind. They end up at some warehouse place where the TARDIS is under investigation. Donna sees the thing on her back and it's a rubbish-looking giant stag beetle. This was something of a crushing disappointment, and my admiration for Graeme Harper grew as I realised that he had successfully masked what the creature looked like until that point. In the Confidential documentary, FX guru Neill Gorton explained that it really was meant to look like a giant insect as that was what the script said. Personally I would have made it look a bit alien, but then what do I know. So Donna agrees to go back in time to get her other self to turn left and not right, ensuring that she meets the Doctor and reality is set back on track again. But then Rose says she's never used the time travel device before ... but how was she moving about through time then? Really didn't understand that aspect. But Donna ends up too far from herself in the car, and realises that she has to die to save the worlds and so throws herself under a truck, causing a traffic jam, and making Donna in the car turn in the correct direction. Before she dies on the road though, Rose gives Donna two words to say to the Doctor. What again? We had the Face of Boe with his mystery message ... River Song with her mystery words ... and now Rose. What is this all coming down to, some massive game of Chinese Whispers! Donna is flung back to the Fortune Teller's tent, where the Teller makes a hasty exit as the Doctor arrives. The Doctor examines the beetle and proclaims it to be one of the Trickster's brigade ... the who? Oh, sorry, you had to have watched Sarah Jane Adventures for that one ... the Trickster being a creature which can change minor aspects of a timeline and feed off the temporal disruption caused. And then Donna remembers the words said to her by Rose. 'Bad Wolf'. Not again! Didn't we do all that three years ago? But no, racing from the tent, the Doctor sees the words 'Bad Wolf' written everywhere. All over the banners, the posters, the flags in the market. Even the TARDIS has 'Bad Wolf' in place of the words above and on the door. Inside the ship, the cloister bell is solemnly ringing. It's the end of the universe! Well. That was certainly an exciting ending, I'll give it that. And the reappearance of the Doctor was a breath of fresh air after all the Donna-centric soap opera that had gone before. For me, it just showed how powerful a presence David Tennant is that without him, the show flattened and floundered. But then the show isn't called Doctor Who for nothing you know. The other problem with the episode of course, is that it postulates what would have happened if Donna had never met the Doctor. Well for a start the whole of human history would be different as Pompeii would not have been destroyed by Vesuvius erupting, and the Pyroviles would have taken over ... but I guess we have to gloss over that one. Never mind what havoc a vespiform would have wrought on middle England. In summary, it's another of those episodes which falls between the cracks of brilliant and dire. On the one hand, as usual, it's superbly made and presents a grim view of an England from which the Doctor is absent (much like real life then). Slightly reminiscent of the apocalyptic drama series Threads in its approach perhaps, but throwing in characters of such characature that it's hard to really care for them. On the other hand, a little like Utopia last year, it's a story which goes nowhere. Setting things up for the following season finale and so it feels a little like it's treading water. The main element of press interest is Billie Piper's Rose, returned somehow from the parallel universe in which she was irrevocably trapped, and for some reason traipsing around after Donna in another parallel universe that she has created for herself when she changed her timeline by turning the other direction in her car. Piper looked and acted uncomfortable in the part. As mentioned her speech was weird and strange, lispy and distorted, and although she does smug and in control very well (I liked the weary comments from the unlikely named Arisa Magambo that she always talks like that) it didn't come over as believable. I guess we need to wait until next week to find out where this is all going. And as for next week ... well the trailer was a veritable who's who: Rose with a big gun, the Doctor, Donna, her mum, Wilf, Martha (again), Captain Jack (again), Gwen and Ianto off of Torchwood, Sarah Jane (again) and Luke off of Sarah Jane Adventures, Penelope Wilton (again), the Judoon (again), some woman with white hair, a red Dalek (again), and a massive Dalek battle fleet (again) ... sheesh! Wonder where the kitchen sink was?  | ||
| Posted: 26 Jun 2008 06:08 AM CDT SJA actress Yasmin Paige will be attending the London Film and Comic Con on July 20th, 2008! This will be her second convention apperance, the first being 10th Planet's Dimensions convention last Autumn.  The venue is located at Earls Court 2, London; and you'll be charged a fee for entry, autographs and fan/star photoshoots. For details on pricing and to see who else is attending, head over to the website linked above. In other news, The Sun reports that Coronation Street star Bradley Walsh and comedy legend Russ Abbott are to appear on Season 2 of SJA "in roles rather more sinister than their usual TV appearances."  Keep an eye out for Abbott's character in the third two-parter next season!  | ||
| News: Doctor Who Adventures 70! Posted: 26 Jun 2008 05:34 AM CDT We have just recieved the latest issue of Doctor Who Adventures Magazine and what a fab edition it is to! I'll let the press release take it away... The Daleks are coming! They’re almost here, so look out and find out more about the Daleks in the new issue of Doctor Who Adventures! There’s a special preview of Saturday’s episode (brace yourself!) and we look at our favourite bits from the fantastic Turn Left. And if you like Daleks, you’ll love the free...  | ||
| Crew Cuts A quick study - Columbus Alive Posted: 26 Jun 2008 04:44 AM CDT
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| Posted: 26 Jun 2008 03:00 AM CDT What is Speak Your Brains? It's a section in our DVD reviews pages that showcases your opinions. The idea is to provide a second opinion. So not only can you see what our reviewer thought, but you can check out what the consensus is amongst your fellow...  | ||
| Flood, Hodge named for Beijing - Bradford Telegraph Argus Posted: 26 Jun 2008 02:31 AM CDT
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| Wiffle Lever to Full - cover & info Posted: 26 Jun 2008 01:27 AM CDT Wiffle Lever to Full - cover & info DWO have received the Book cover & information for 'Wiffle Lever to Full': Wiffle Lever to Full He may not have a TARDIS or an X-Wing Fighter, but Bob Fischer is boldly going where, um, lots of men have gone before. And, to a lesser extent, possibly even a few women. Encountering gay Cybermen, obsessive Janet Ellis fans and Douglas Adams devotees hell-bent on destroying Blake’s 7 lovers with water-pistols, Bob embarks on a marathon twelve-month journey around the country's sci-fi and cult TV conventions. Part fun travelogue, part field report, part misty-eyed childhood memoir, Bob freewheels his way from Doctor Who to Discworld, Star Wars to Star Trek and Robin Of Sherwood to Red Dwarf. In space, no one can hear you scream. And don't expect much sympathy in Peterborough, either. Wiffle Lever to Full is released on 24th July 2008, priced &ound;12.99. PREORDER this Book in the WHOSTORE, for just &ound;11.99. Discuss this story in the DWO Forums: [Source: Bob Fischer]  | ||
| Dark Shadows Returns to Big Finish Posted: 26 Jun 2008 01:05 AM CDT Dark Shadows returns to Big Finish with 4 new audio releases. The first two are already online for pre-order - Clothes of Sand and The Ghost Watcher. These two new releases are the first in a new series for Big Finish's Dark Shadows CDs, featuring favourite actors reprising their characters. Each dramatic reading will feature two performers, with original music, sound effects and exciting dramatised segments. Casting and story details for a further four releases will be announced shortly, with each production being released monthly from September.  | ||
| Posted: 26 Jun 2008 12:02 AM CDT Above: Simon tries to avoid learning that Donna regenerates into Gillian Anderson during the cliffhanger of "The Stolen Earth" There are two types of people in the office this week: those who've watched the preview disc for Doctor Who's "The Stolen...  | ||
| Posted: 25 Jun 2008 10:00 PM CDT In last year's Pulp Idol book we not only printed the winning story from our writing competition, but also a short range of tips for those planning to pen a story in future. We thought it might be tremendously helpful to aspiring writers and competition...  | ||
| Posted: 25 Jun 2008 08:55 PM CDT Heroes Season Three Will Delve into the Back Story Season three of Heroes will answer a lot of questions about the show's back story, series creator Tim Kring tells SCI FI Wire . "One of the things that this volume is going to do that, I think, is really...  | ||
| Posted: 25 Jun 2008 08:44 PM CDT
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| Posted: 25 Jun 2008 08:36 PM CDT Everybody is going quite literally Doctor Who mad this week, with the press chatting about everything from Billie's teeth to this - a superb offering from The Guardian that discusses several fan-made attempts to remake missing episodes of Doctor Who through soundtracks and animation. Inspired by the efforts of Cosgrove Hall on 2006's The Invasion, these small teams - sometimes even comprising one fan - have been developing computer-based portrayals of the first three Doctors and their...  | ||
| Watch movie trailers online [UPDATED] Posted: 25 Jun 2008 07:00 PM CDT Some new film trailers available for you to watch on the internet right now! [Updated] Current favourites... The Clone Wars The X-Files: I Want To Believe The...  | ||
| What's On: Other Screens - Toronto Star Posted: 25 Jun 2008 03:32 PM CDT
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| Results tagged “steven spielberg” from Coventry Telegraph - Pass ... - CV5 Coventry Communities Posted: 25 Jun 2008 03:04 PM CDT
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| Posted: 25 Jun 2008 01:23 PM CDT
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| Richland Upper Elementary School Honor Roll - Rankin Ledger Posted: 25 Jun 2008 01:04 PM CDT
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| Posted: 25 Jun 2008 01:00 PM CDT An old friend summons the Doctor.  | ||
| ABC to air Dr Who episode with Kylie Minogue in glamorous role - Adelaidenow Posted: 25 Jun 2008 12:26 PM CDT
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| Kylie's Dr Who smooch - Gold Coast News Posted: 25 Jun 2008 12:22 PM CDT
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| Alternate reality - Ventura County Reporter Posted: 25 Jun 2008 12:14 PM CDT
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| Kylie's Dr Who stint to air this Sunday - WA today Posted: 25 Jun 2008 12:07 PM CDT
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| ABC to air Kylie's Dr Who - Adelaidenow Posted: 25 Jun 2008 11:45 AM CDT
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| ABC to air Kylie's Dr Who - Courier Mail Posted: 25 Jun 2008 11:34 AM CDT
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| ABC to air Kylie's Dr Who - Herald Sun Posted: 25 Jun 2008 11:33 AM CDT
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| The Greatest Art Featuring 6 Iconic Scifi Villains - io9 Posted: 25 Jun 2008 11:28 AM CDT
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| Posted: 25 Jun 2008 07:36 AM CDT
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| Review: 'Doctor Who' - Turn Left - SyFyPortal Posted: 25 Jun 2008 06:45 AM CDT
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| Shinan: A man of many talents - National Post Posted: 25 Jun 2008 05:27 AM CDT
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| TV2 makes date with bisexual space hero - Gay NZ Posted: 25 Jun 2008 04:52 AM CDT
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| Posted: 25 Jun 2008 04:38 AM CDT
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| Results tagged “john barrowman” from Coventry Telegraph - The Geek ... - CV5 Coventry Communities Posted: 24 Jun 2008 09:44 PM CDT
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| Torchwood actor comes to Birmingham then heads to US sci-fi events - CV5 Coventry Communities Posted: 24 Jun 2008 09:43 PM CDT
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| Posted: 24 Jun 2008 08:54 AM CDT Kopic’s Newsround The “Turn Left After The Silent Library And Straight On To The Forest Of The Midnight Dead” Edition Well, well, well. Here we are on the day after the Monday following the episode before the penultimate one prior to the finale and we’re straight in with a passage from David Baddiel at The Times Online where he can’t decide whether to read “Sophie’s Choice” or not. He’s talking about “spoilers” you see and seems...  | ||
| Angry Puppy video blog 30: Agatha Christie edition - AfterElton.com Posted: 24 Jun 2008 05:33 AM CDT
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| Explaining science fiction to women - Atlantic Online Posted: 24 Jun 2008 12:02 AM CDT
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| Is Hugh Jackman Joining the Circus? - Broadway World Posted: 23 Jun 2008 09:59 PM CDT
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| Posted: 23 Jun 2008 04:57 PM CDT
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| Diary: Gavin Crawford - National Post Posted: 23 Jun 2008 01:32 PM CDT
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