Lots of fun and a real sense of charm. As Mrs Blenkinsop (and others here) wondered, who is Anita Dobson playing? Or is she RTD breaking the 4th wall and just being cheeky with us?

Watched “The Shakespeare Code” last night. Loved it! The word play (obviously), the action in the streets of London and in the Globe (which had a sort of anarchic exuberance), and the slightly daffy (but wonderfully charming) allusion to JK Rowling at the denouement–was all incredibly charming and fun. And then afterwards, I started thinking that…[Read more]

@devilishrobby – Yes, that is explained in the movie. What I was personally struck by was just how much the actual Hartnell had aged so early as a result of the smoking and drinking. But this is to focus on the sad side of his story. What the movie captures perfectly is just how much he captured the hearts of Britain’s children, and just how much…[Read more]

Watched “An Adventure in Space and Time” again last night. What a brilliant labour of love to the origins of the show it is. The screenplay by Gatiss is pretty much perfect, as is the acting by David Bradley, Sacha Dhawan, Jessica Raine, Lesley Manville, and the list goes on. I have watched “Doctor Who” since the Hartnell days, but it was only…[Read more]

@mudlark The BBC seems to be flooding the airwaves with clips at the moment, encouraging all to see, but yes, perhaps I should err on the side of caution with future clips.

the BBC has just released…the Goblin Song from the Christmas Special

@jimthefish – If you thought the trailer screamed Harry Potter, this screams pure and utter fantasy. I will try and reserve judgement until Christmas.

@whohar

Very good point about The Watcher. And yes, there was indeed a lot of inconsistency with the regenerations in the pre-gap years. To be honest, I sometimes think that inconsistency is part of the DNA of the show. I loved Hartnell-era Who when I saw it as a kid, and Tom Baker Who when I saw it as an undergraduate, and I thought The Giggl…[Read more]

@bobbyfatv2
  We may need a flow chart!

That is brilliant! While this web site already has a wonderful sub-heading, I think your line would be an excellent header for subsequent discussion of the world of RTD2.

@scaryb

Yes, I was wondering about the Vinx as well. I was reading somewhere about the likelihood of a UNIT spinoff. If that is indeed likely then I imagine RTD2 was establishing the look and the characters of the spinoff. Am assuming RTD2 will enlighten us in regard to the origins of Vinx at some point.

Christmas trailer (and I would say we are heading in a more fantasy trajectory)

Just back from a second viewing with Mrs Blenkinsop and we both agreed that it was pretty fabulous.

Was Mel necessary? Probably not. Was that a problem? No, not really.

On second impressions, it was both frightening  (when it needed to be) and warm hearted (which is what Doctor Who is supposed to be).

And whose hand with the red fingernail…[Read more]

@scaryb

Wonderful photo of Waris Hussein, the director who started it all.

Thanks for posting.

@juniperfish

Oh, really like the suggestion that the red fingernail that picks up the gold tooth could imply the Rani!

A few more thoughts. I thought Neil Patrick Harris hit it out of the park as The Toymaker. Hypnotically evil and a physicality that worked to perfection. Still loving the way the invention of TV (manipulated by the Toymaker) holds the potential seeds of humanity’s destruction.

Not entirely sure what Melanie Bush was doing there, though. Yes, I…[Read more]

OK, a lot to process. Totally agree with @craig that RTD2 cannot let Tennant go. Am really hoping what we just saw does not lead to a Marvel-isation of Who, but we will simply have to wait and see.

Loved the idea that humanity put itself in danger of destroying itself due to the invention of television. I liked that immensely.

Off to give it all…[Read more]

@jimthefish

I think what I am anxious about is summed up in a word: Marvel

@jimthefish

Why do I feel more nervous than exhilarated about that announcement?

@jimthefish When you catch up with the final episode of the Hartnell era “Celestial Toymaker” be prepared for the fact that the first 15 minutes or so are pretty feeble, but it is the last 10 minutes that makes one think about what might potentially happen on Saturday, when the Toymaker returns.

And @Phaseshift, I suspect RTD2 may continue to…[Read more]

@jimthefish Part of the reason I am attracted to the suggestion of @devilishrobby is that there is more than a few isolated clips and photos of the Gough Toymaker. The entire last episode still exists, and is available on the DVD “Lost in Time” which contains a series of Hartnell and Troughton episodes that survived the ’60s cull. The DVD is still…[Read more]

Mrs Blenkinsop and I just rewatched the final episode of the Hartnell story “The Celestial Toymaker” (the only episode to survive), and am intrigued by the suggestion above by @devilishrobby. Yes, it could, indeed, unfold that way. All three Tennant specials could all be part of a game implemented by The Toymaker, and, indeed, “London Town” could…[Read more]