Effective, basically, immediately Caroline Skinner is no longer working on Doctor Who. The producer joined the series in 2011 and served along side Steven Moffat through the series’ sixth and seventh seasons. The official word came from the BBC earlier this morning. In a statement, Skinner said,

It has been an honour to have been a part of Doctor Who, and a privilege to have worked with Steven Moffat and Matt Smith on this extraordinary show. I have hugely enjoyed my time in BBC Wales and would like to thank Faith Penhale, and our wonderful production team for their unending commitment and brilliance.

I will miss them all enormously, but I’m leaving Doctor Who in fine form, with the new series starting at Easter and the fantastic plans for the 50th Anniversary already underway. I am delighted to be now returning to BBC Drama Production in London as an executive producer, and the new opportunities and projects that will bring.

She’ll continue to serve as producer on BBC Two and Mark Gatiss‘ upcoming 50th anniversary docu-drama, An Adventure in Space and Time, before returning to BBC Drama. Caro, your enthusiam for Who will surely be missed.

Interestingly, Bleeding Cool seem to hint at the decision for her to leave stemmed from a “very public row” she had with Moffat at the recent BBC Showcase event, but with no further information this could just be industry gossip.

Taking over producer duties for Doctor Who‘s 50th Anniversary is BBC Wales’ Head of Drama, Faith Penhale,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Caroline for her contribution to Doctor Who since taking on the role in 2011, on behalf of both the BBC and the show.  She leaves the show in good shape – there’s a brilliant new series starting on Easter Saturday that will see the official arrival of the Doctor’s new companion! And the 50th Anniversary plans are on track to deliver audiences an unmissable event! I wish her all the very best for the future.

They’re clearly trying to deliver the message that all is well, but we have to be a little concerned when a producer bounces out right before production begins on the biggest Doctor Who event, ever, right?

Source: Doctor Who TV

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We’ve seen Daleks and Cybermen and Autons, even famed baddies like Davros and The Master have appeared, and now it’s the Ice Warriors chance to return and be reinvented. They’ll be appearing in the third episode of the second half of Season 7 of Doctor Who – man, what a mouthful! – in an episode written by Mark Gatiss. All we really know thus far about its plot is we’ll find The Doctor and Clara trapped on a submarine for some kind of underwater adventure.

And there’ll be these guys,

Pretty great lookin’, right? I can’t wait to see how they move in these suits! I was worried they’d take their new design too modern, I’d feared they’d look too Silurian. But now, what we have here is another fantastic update job by the pros at Who. From those who designed it to those made it to those who now have to act in it. This look evokes the Ice Warriors of old, see above, but manage to be far more imposing and threatening. Basically, I’m more excited for the Ice Warriors to return now that I’ve gotten a proper look at them.

What do you guys think? Will the Ice Warriors be haunting your dreams, or do you think they’ll fall further on the side of hokey, forgettable Who villain?

Doctor Who returns March 30th at 9pm EST!

Source: SFX via BBC America

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If you’re a Whovian with a hankering for less Weeping Angels and Silence, and more classic Doctor Who villains, you’re in luck. Talking with SFX producer Caro Skinner has confirmed the classic monsters, the Ice Warriors, are indeed returning. They’ll appear in the Mark Gatiss-penned submarine under siege episode, the ninth of Series 7 Part 2.

We’ve got the most fantastic episode by Mark Gatiss where we are bringing back the Ice Warrior… on a submarine! It’s a really wonderful kind of ‘bunker’ episode, and a classic monster which Mark has brought his own inimitable twist to.

We wanted to bring them back because they’re wonderful! In the mix of stories that we were planning for this year it felt as if doing something very bold with a monster that hadn’t been seen for a while would be really cool. Mark is an enormous fan of the Ice Warrior stories and came up with the idea. The sense of a monster of that scale and that size trapped in a really small, contained environment such as a submarine was a really brilliant story to be able to tell. And obviously we’ve had a huge amount of fun going back to the traditional designs and recreating them, bringing the Ice Warriors back to life again.

They were such a beautiful original design, and are genuinely really scary in terms of what they look like as they’re coming towards you in that armour. Letting a huge Ice Warrior loose at the heart of a classic Hunt For Red October style submarine movie was exactly the kind of story that the Doctor should get mixed up in.

They’ve got really scary voices as well. I spent quite a lot of time on set trying to hiss like an Ice Warrior…

I’m really excited to see their new design. Frightening and imposing they may have been in the 60s, but today, like a lot of classic Who monsters, they’d be laughable.

Excited for the Ice Warriors? Any other classic monsters and villains you’d like to appear in the current series?

Source: Doctor Who TV

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“Grandfather! Grandfather!”

Yup, The Doctor’s “granddaughter”, Susan, played by Carol Ann Ford on the series in the 60s has been cast for An Adventure in Space and Time. Yesterday we saw the first glimpse of the production as filming kicked off on Sunday, and today we learn relative newcomer Claudia Grant will play Ford, and therefore Susan, in the 90 minute docudrama from Mark Gatiss. Here’s Grant’s head shot for a comparison,

That’s a pretty darn good likeness, if you ask me. Doctor Who TV also report Jamie Glover is playing William Russell, fellow companion and Susan’s teacher Ian, but this has yet to be confirmed.

Honestly, I think I’m getting more excited about this docudrama exploring those early days of Doctor Who than I am whatever celebration Moffat and co. have planned for the series proper. So much of what makes Doctor Who, Doctor Who was created during those early years and it’ll be wonderful to see it all brought to light.

What are you most excited for when it comes to Who‘s 5oth anniversary?

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We only learned of the cast for Mark Gatiss‘ docudrama about the early days of Doctor Who last week, and on Sunday they began filming. In the photos below snapped by Andrew Mark Sewell, you can just make out David Bradley as the First Doctor, William Hartnell, and Jessica Raine as Doctor Who producer, Verity Lambert.

Above photo by  by Jake Humphrey. The top picture is from Ann Marie Stephenson and shows the TARDIS on location at Wimbledon Common. The photos from Joseph Burne (left) and Darcylotr (right) below give you an even better look at the original TARDIS’ rougher yet still so recognizable look,

This docudrama is expected to air around the time of Who’s 50th Anniversary, November 23rd.

Source: Doctor Who TV

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Of all the rumors surrounding Doctor Who‘s 50th anniversary the most prevalent is a possible reunion of all past Doctors, but at this point, it’s a pipe dream. (Unless you pick up Big Finish’s celebratory audio drama reuniting Doctors 4-8 with digital wizardry cameos from 1, 2, & 3.) But one Doctor will for sure be back on TV in time for the 50th, the First Doctor, William Hartnell as portrayed by David Bradley in the docudrama, An Adventure in Time and Space. Exploring the turbulent beginnings of the long running sci-fi program, the drama is written by frequent Steven Moffat collaborator, Mark Gatiss, with Moffat and Caro Skinner exec producing.

The casting announcement was made along with the announcement BBC America will also be airing the docudrama when it premieres. Not unlike how Doctor Who airs on the same day, both sides of the pond. Filming for An Adventure in Time and Space begins next month. Joining Bradley are Jessica Raine as producer Verity Lambert and Brian Cox  as Sydney Newman, BBC’s then-Head of Drama. Another case of Doctor Who looking within for casting as Bradley already appeared in the Series 7 Part 1 episode, “Dinosaurs on a Spaceship,” and Raine is set to appear in the premiere of Series 7 Part 2. Playing Waris Hussein, the director of Who‘s first episode, “An Unearthly Child,” will be Sacha Dhawan.

I was always curious who’d they find to bring Hartnell back to life, and Argus Filch would not have been my first choice. Now looking at them side by side, and damn, what a likeness. Plus, when I really think about it, he has the perfect demeanor to play the crotchety yet kind Hartnell. Bradley has said he’s “absolutely thrilled” to play a part in the anniversary, adding,

I first heard about this role from Mark [Gatiss] while watching the Diamond Jubilee flotilla from the roof of the National Theatre. When he asked if I would be interested, I almost bit his hand off! Mark has written such a wonderful script not only about the birth of a cultural phenomenon, but a moment in television’s history. William Hartnell was one of the finest character actors of our time and as a fan I want to make sure that I do him justice. I’m so looking forward to getting started.

With the official anniversary date being November 23rd, expect An Adventure in Time and Space to premiere near then, on both BBC and BBC America. Whovians, what do you think of the casting?

Source: BBC America

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Yup, it’s official! Doctor Who will return with the second half of Series 7 on March 30th, as confirmed by the BBC. Just in time for Easter! Like we all wanted? Oh who cares, new Who in about nine weeks! Let the agony of waiting begin.

As of now here’s the proposed episode line-up,

706. “Phantom of the Hex” Written by Steven Moffat – Saturday 30th March
707. Written by Neil Cross – Saturday 6th April
708. Written by Mark Gatiss – Saturday 13th April
709. Written by Neil Cross – Saturday 20th April
710. “Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS” Written by Stephen Thompson – Saturday 27th April
711. Written by Mark Gatiss – Saturday 4th May
712. Written by Neil Gaiman – Saturday 11th May
713. Written by Steven Moffat – Saturday 18th May

As you can see most of these episodes are still untitled, and the titles we do have aren’t 100% confirmed. Still, plenty to look forward to what with episodes from the likes of Neil Gaiman and Mark Gatiss. Which episode are you most excited for? I feel the Gaiman episode has already garnered a lot of buzz, but I’m also looking forward to Stephen Thompson‘s episode “Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS.” Who doesn’t love anything new involving the TARDIS?

And, I’m only putting this together now, but with Doctor Who returning on March 30th and Game of Thrones returning March 31st it’s turning into one epic weekend.

Source: Doctor Who TV

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Can’t say I didn’t see this coming, but it doesn’t make the news any easier to endure. Due to the exploding careers of its stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, Sherlock won’t be returning any earlier than late 2013, or likely early 2014 for those in the U.S. awaiting PBS’ broadcast.

BBC‘s hit series based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s brilliant detective was schedule to begin shooting its third series this coming January, with hopes for a Fall 2013 premiere, but filming has been pushed back to March. It seems Cumberbatch – who can been seen in next year’s Star Trek Into Darkness and heard in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug – is expected to begin shooting director Bill Condon’s untitled WikiLeaks project soon, and Freeman is expected to be needed for more filming to finish up Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit now that it’s a trilogy, cause y’know, he’s the hobbit.

Add to this how busy series creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss already are, what with that little anniversary happening next year for that silly science fiction, and you can see why Sherlock is being put on the back burner. And after the cliffhanger at the end of Series 2 those few more months of waiting will be a struggle. How will fans cope? Well, there’s always Tumblr. Especially the Johnlock tag.

Source: Entertainment Weekly

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A few new details have emerged about the Mark Gatiss written episode from the second half of Doctor Who‘s Series 7. For instance, it involves, “volumes of water,” and will be an, “under siege story.” At least that’s what episode director Douglas Mackinnon said in the most recent issue of Doctor Who Magazine.

In the magazine Mackinnon talked mostly about the technical aspects of directing,

I enjoyed it just about more than any other bit of directing I’ve ever done. Without a doubt, if ever there were a team effort that has made an episode work, it was that one. Just the safety elements alone, with water flowing around… The gaffers, and the Electrical Department, and the practical effects guys, they were all on top of that the entire time… Also, we had to remember that there was electrical circuitry on show. All that had to be shifted to 12 volts to make it safe. And there was steam, and smoke, and explosions, and guns, and everything that makes directing Doctor Who fun. I had the time of my life. And then there’s ‘the creature’ as well.

And while he doesn’t go into specifics about just who “the creature” is, there’s plenty of rumor this episode could herald the return of the Ice Warriors. These baddies, a reptilian race found on Mars, are classics dating all the way back to the Second Doctor’s adventures. I remember there being a lot of murmuring the Ice Warriors would return in the David Tennant story, “The Waters of Mars”, but obviously that didn’t happen. Could this be their season to return?

Mackinnon continues,

Because of the environment that Mark put his creature in, there was all sorts of texture around that’s natural to the environment – and water, of course – and I took advantage of that. I had the creature stomping through water. I shot some of it in slow-mo, to make it look even more impressive. The results are magnificent. If that’s hard work, I’ll have some more of it, thank you very much.

Whether it’s the Ice Warriors or not it sounds like another impressive Doctor Who monster. Mackinnon promises it’ll be, “really scary,” so here’s hoping it’ll fit right in with the pantheon of Cyberman, The Silence, Weeping Angels, and Daleks.

What do you think this could mean for Gatiss’ first of two Series 7 Part 2 episodes? Could it be the return of the Ice Warriors?

Source: Doctor Who TV

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Doctor Who may be over until the Christmas special and the second half of Series 7 returns next year, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t Who news to report! First, did you hear about MorrisonCon? The convention last weekend in Las Vegas that celebrated all things Grant Morrison? Yeah, it happened, and while there Morrison dropped a few interesting comments about how he’d like to write a Doctor Who episode. Yes, apparently writing an episode of Doctor Who is the “thing” all your favorite writers want to do. And why not!? The Whovian fanbase is massive, who wouldn’t want a piece of this pie?

Anyway, during a panel about, “the filthy backdoor romance between comic books and movies,” moderated by porn actress and sex columnist Ryan Keely – I shit you not – the panelists (Chronicle screenwriter Max Landis, “Happy!” artist Darick Robinson, Morrison, and Guardians Of The Galaxy director James Gunn) were asked about what television they’re currently watching. Morrison responded, “Doctor Who.” And I can only imagine the roar from the crowd was deafening.

Here’s how Comic Book Resources reports it,

“[Steven] Moffat had been getting a lot of tweets from people who were saying, ‘You should have Grant write “Doctor Who,”‘ and I’d really love to write ‘Doctor Who,’” Grant said, adding that a friend of his who had worked with writer Mark Gatiss and Moffat pitched the idea to them and reported they wanted to hear from Morrison.

“We tried it four or five times, and he never wrote back,” Morrison said, adding that he had heard from those working on the related animated show that they were given Morrison’s ’80s “Doctor Who” comics for reference.

Landis then led the audience in a mass tweeting of Mark Gatiss under the hashtag of #letgrantmorrisonwritedrwho.

No word on Gatiss’ response. But what would you say to Morrison writing an episode of Who? The only better fusion of nerd idols I could imagine is if Peter Jackson expressed interest in working on Who. Wait a minute…

Speaking of Jackson, it’s clear he’s extremely fond of New Zealand and would be pumped if Who decided to film an episode. Who producer Caro Skinner even expressed their interest, though admitted it might be too costly. But now Australia is throwing their hat in the ring to host the Doctor Who cast and crew for an episode shoot.

(more…)

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