Paul McGann To Return To The TARDIS? The Eighth Doctor Opens Up

Originally published on For Your Excitement.  14 March  2014.


Whovians, we may not have seen the last of the Eighth Doctor. In an interview with Yahoo, Paul McGann said he would love to return to Doctor Who.

“If the same thing were to happen again and Moffat were to say ‘Would you come back and do it and I’ll write it?’ Why wouldn’t I want to do it? If it’s going to be that quality, why wouldn’t you want to do it?”

McGann had often been overlooked for his turn as the Eighth Doctor. The actor only appeared in the role once, in 1996’s Doctor Who TV film, which failed at the time to launch a new series of the show. All of that changed, however, when McGann donned his Time Lord clothes in The Night of the Doctor, a short that led up to the 50th anniversary special, The Day of the Doctor. That epic mini-episode reminded or clued Whovians in to McGann’s brilliant Doctor and left us wanting more.

As for whether we’ll get “more,” McGann says, “There’s always all kinds of rumors. Doctor Who is like a rumor mill, isn’t it? 'Yea, McGann is gonna do this, Matt is gonna do that, there’s going to be a spin-off, blah blah blah.'” He brushes these off, since it’s showrunner Steven Moffat who decides what direction the show takes. “And of course, now you’ve got a new Doctor in Peter Capaldi – I think it’s only fair that he gets a decent run on his own without any distractions so he gets his feet under the table.”

I must say though, McGann only fuels those rumors when he posts pictures of his Eighth Doctor self in the Eleventh Doctor’s TARDIS.

Doctor Who returns with Capaldi at the TARDIS controls later this year.

A Surprise Visit From the Doctor: Capaldi Appears in Costume

Originally published on For Your Excitement.  25 February  2014.

Decked out in his Twelfth Doctor costume, Peter Capaldi appeared at the BBC Worldwide Showcase in Liverpool on Monday. Or should we say, The Doctor made a surprise appearance.

With his dark blue, red-lined Crombie coat, dark blue trousers and waistcoat, white shirt and Doc Martens boots, Capaldi looked much more like his Time Lord alter ego than himself. The delighted audience certainly thought so, as the newest Doctor took the stage. This is the first time Capaldi has been seen in the costume since the BBC released an official picture of the outfit in January. At the time the actor remarked on the clothes saying, “Simple, stark, and back to basics. No frills, no scarf, no messing, just 100 per cent Rebel Time Lord.”

Following the event on Monday, Capaldi spoke briefly about the upcoming series 8. “I’ve always been a fan of the show and I love that it’s now a global success,” he said. “I’m excited, and slightly daunted, about how far the new series is going to travel.”

Doctor Who returns later this year.

Spoilers, Sweetie: Doctor Who Alums Join Cast of New British Crime Drama

Originally published on For Your Excitement.  11 February  2014.

Crime drama Chasing Shadows has three of their primary cast members set. ITV announced the addition of Reece Shearsmith, Alex Kingston and Noel Clarke to the four-part series, which will follow a missing persons unit hunting a group of serial killers.

Shearsmith plays DS Sean Stone, a brilliant investigator whose obsession with the deciphering codes and patterns of behavior comes in handy when pursuing serial criminals. However, his intensity and eccentric manner often lead him down the path to self-destruction.

Enter his level-headed partner, Ruth Hattersley, played by the always cool Alex Kingston. Ruth is assigned to work with Sean and though he first shirks her help, he finds that they make a great team. Whereas he lacks social skills, she connects with people easily, adding a new element to their investigations. Rounding out their team is Clarke as DI Prior.

Shearsmith’s credits include Psychoville and League of Gentlemen, which he co wrote with Who and Sherlock legend Mark Gatiss. He was also seen portraying Patrick Troughton in the recent Adventure in Space and Time, and Kingston is instantly recognizable as River Song on Doctor Who. Clarke is also Doctor Who alum famously playing tin dog Mickey Smith, more recently seen on the big screen in Star Trek Into Darkness. He is also a highly successful movie director with credits such as Kidulthood and 4,3,2,1.

ITV’s Director of Drama, Steve November, said of the production ”It’s a crime drama, but not a typical one as it is based around a missing persons unit. And it introduces two very individual and exciting new characters who we’re very much looking forward to seeing.”

Filming for Chasing Shadows begins this month. It is clear that ITV are looking for another highly successful drama after the worldwide success of Broadchurch, which starred The Doctor himself, David Tennant. Either Doctor Who is seen as a prime picking ground for awesome talent, which it is obviously, OR someone in the casting office is a Whovian.

Time will tell if the success of Broadchurch will be repeated, however so far the cast looks brilliant, and let’s hope the spoilers are kept to a minimum, sweetie!

BBC America Reveals Peter Capaldi’s ‘Doctor Who’ Costume

Originally published on The Flickcast.  27 January 2014.

New Doctor means new clothes. The Twelfth Doctor is getting into the Whovian swing of things by choosing an outfit all his own. BBC America has released the first image of Doctor Who actor Peter Capaldi in what will likely be his signature costume.

At first glance, Calpaldi’s look is old school with a bit of modern flair. While there is no bowtie or extra long scarf or Converse shoes to stand out, the clothes do fit the man. As Capaldi said, “He’s woven the future from the cloth of the past. Simple, stark, and back to basics. No frills, no scarf, no messing, just 100 per cent Rebel Time Lord.”

Of course all Whovians know that the Doctor’s outfit usually has a story behind it but fans will have to wait until later this year to learn how and why the Twelfth Doctor picked his costume. The specifics of the outfit, according to BBC America, are: a dark blue Crombie coat with red lining, dark blue trousers, a white shirt and black Doc Marten shoes.

“New Doctor, new era, and of course new clothes,” lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat added. “Monsters of the universe, the vacation is over – Capaldi is suited and booted and coming to get you!”

Filming for Capaldi’s debut season, which will include returning companion Clara (Jenna Coleman), is currently underway in Cardiff.

John Simm To Star In New Drama Series The Intruders

Originally published on PopWrapped.  13 January 2014.

John Simm will headline upcoming paranormal series, The Intruders. A BBC America alum, Simm is best known for his turn as The Master on Doctor Who.

The Intruders will follow Simm’s LA cop-turned-writer, Jack Whelan, as he gets lost in the world of investigation once again after his wife goes missing. What he finds is an assortment of unrelated and unexplained events that start to weave together. Set in the gloom of the Pacific Northwest, The Intruders is based on the novel of the same name by Michael Marshall Smith.

About signing on for the series, Simm said on EW, “After reading Glen Morgan’s brilliant script, I knew I couldn’t pass up the chance to play this complex character. It is also a great opportunity to reunite with [executive producers] Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner, and with BBC America.”

No airdate has yet been announced.

Peter Jackson To Direct Doctor Who Down Under?

Originally published on PopWrapped.  10 December 2013.

Whovians, maybe it’s about time that our beloved Doctor Who got The Lord of the Rings treatment. Director Peter Jackson is reportedly in “serious” talks to direct an episode of the beloved and wildly popular British show.

“I would be very happy to,” Jackson said on Digital Spy. “I’d love to try my hand at television, because I’ve never had the discipline of having to shoot for those impossibly tiny schedules. I think I could do it okay now.”

The Oscar-winner is a die-hard fan of the show and hopes to bring it to his native New Zealand for an episode. This would certainly work for Doctor Who executive producer Caroline Skinner, who said previously, “Of course at some point we’d love to bring Doctor Who down under.” She then quickly added that this wouldn’t be possible until at least a year after the 50th anniversary episode because the majority of series seven has already been filmed.

About Jackson, Skinner specifically said, “I’m absolutely sure that we couldn’t afford him but, you know, we can always negotiate. His enthusiasm is just fantastic of course.”

It sounds like The Hobbit director is more than willing to negotiate. Screen Rant reports that Jackson even told showrunner Steven Moffat that he’d do it for free! Plus, Jackson has a story idea in mind. “I did suggest that they did a New Zealand story – something to do with the [rugby union] All Blacks versus the Daleks. There’s a good story in there, although obviously the All Blacks would have to win!” he joked.

While we wait to hear if these serious talks turn into a seriously awesome reality, Jackson will be busy withThe Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, which premieres this Friday, December 13.

David Tennant and Matt Smith To Appear On Graham Norton Ahead Of The Day Of The Doctor

Originally published on PopWrapped.  22 November 2013.

Tonight David Tennant and Matt Smith will appear together on Graham Norton to promote (as if they need to) the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Episode, “The Day of the Doctor.” The two Time Lords spoke about their camaraderie during the episode’s filming as well as comparing the size of their screwdrivers. 

“His is bigger than mine,” Tennant said as reported by Digital Spy. “It has a bit that comes out of the end and lights up.” The much loved Tenth Doctor also touched on the strange expectation many people seemed to have that he and Smith would fight on the set. “It could have been weird,” he said, “but it ended up being good fun.”

For his part, Smith joked that he showed his predecessor a certain amount of deference when on the set. “There was a bit of that, particularly in my TARDIS. I asked David if he would like to fly it. You want to be gracious,” Smith said.

Graham Norton airs tonight on BBC One at 10:35 p.m.

BBC America Releases Three New Stills From An Adventure In Space And Time

Originally published on PopWrapped.  23 October 2013.

If you thought River Song was the biggest tease in all of space and time, think again. As we get closer to the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special, BBC America continues to work Whovians into an excited frenzy with snippets of information on their favorite Time Lord. The latest take are these three new pictures from the Doctor Who biopic, An Adventure in Space and Time.

Written by Doctor Who and Sherlock co-writer, Mark Gatiss, the drama reveals the origins of the longest running sci-fi series in history. See above in full make-up and costume, David Bradley, best known fromGame of Thrones and Harry Potter, portrays the First Doctor, William Hartnell.

Next we get a great look at the original Doctor Who set. Bradley is shown with Jemma Powell and Jaime Glover who portray the first companions to the Doctor. Powell plays Jacqueline Hill (companion Barbara Knight) and Glover plays William Russell (companion Ian Chesterson).

Lastly, we get a fascinating picture of the Doctor and his granddaughter, Susan cowering before a Dalek. Playing the First Doctor’s beloved granddaughter, Susan, is Claudia Grant.

Set to show in November as part of the pre-50th Anniversary line up, An Adventure in Space and Time will also be included on the Day of the Doctor blu-ray and DVD.

Peter Capaldi Is Searching For His Doctor Look According To Steve Moffat

Originally published on PopWrapped.  13 October 2013.

We have had the bow tie and fez. We have had the Converse and pinstripe suit and before that, the leather jacket. To say the Doctor’s clothes are important is an understatement; they’re iconic. So what will Peter Capaldi’s 12th Doctor wardrobe look like?

Showrunner Steven Moffat doesn’t know but he trusts the Scottish actor to decide for himself. “He was texting me ‘I’m out with [the wardrobe stylist] at the moment, it’s going quite well’ and some descriptions of clothes I did not understand,” Moffat said. “I’ll just let them get on with it and it’ll be ‘yes’ or ‘no’ at the end.”

Back in August Moffat spoke more about the Doctor’s wardrobe, saying again that he thinks it’s important for the actor to ultimately choose. “We’ve discussed costume in the lightest terms, but with Matt Smith I discovered myself to be inept at costume discussions, so I tend to step away from that. I think it’s really important that the actor chooses what makes him feel like the Doctor, which is what Matt did in the end.”

He’s referring here to Smith deciding on the Doctor’s bow tie, an accessory Moffat had initially nixed.

As the oldest actor to take on the Time Lord role since the series rebooted in 2005, Capaldi may have a few additional clothing options available to him. What Culture put together a list of 10 suggested styles, including a knitted sweater and scarf, a simple suit or period costume. I love them all.

Whatever Capaldi chooses, it will set him apart from his predecessors and give Whovian cosplayers one more option.

‘Doctor Who’ 50th Anniversary Episode Will Air Simultaneously Worldwide

Originally published on The Flickcast.  2 October 2013.

Doctor Who’s 50th Anniversary will truly be celebrated worldwide. BBC America has announced that the special episode, “The Day of the Doctor,” will air simultaneously across the globe in at least 75 countries and spanning six continents.

“Few TV shows can still lay claim to being appointment viewing but Doctor Who takes this to another level,” Tim Davie, CEO of BBC Worldwide, said. “In its 50th Anniversary year we wanted to create a truly international event for Doctor Who fans in as many countries as possible and the simultaneous broadcast and cinema screening of the special across so many countries will make for a fitting birthday tribute to our Time Lord.”

The list of countries airing the special at the same time as the UK include the U.S., Mexico, Brazil, Canada, Colombia and many more. Additional countries are expected to be added over the next month. BBC America is also set to announce soon select 3D screenings of the special episode in U.S. theaters.

“The Doctor has always been a time traveller – now he’s travelling time zones,” Steven Moffat, Showrunner for Doctor Who and Executive Producer of the 50th Anniversary episode, adds. “On the 23rd of November, it won’t be the bad guys conquering the Earth – everywhere it will be ‘The Day of the Doctor!’”

“The Day of the Doctor” stars the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith), companion Clara (Jenna Coleman), the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant), his companion Rose (Billie Piper) and John Hurt. The special will air on November 23^rd.

David Tennant Opens Up About Working With Matt Smith

Originally published on PopWrapped.tumblr.com.  19 August 2013.

It would have been dreadful for Whovians around the world if the Tenth and Eleventh Doctor had not gotten along during the all-important and sure-to-be awesome 50^th Anniversary episode. But never fear. David Tennant says he and Matt Smith are like brothers to each other.

"I suppose you’d expect me to say we’re new best friends and I love him like a brother. But that is sort of how it was," said Tennant.

In a previous interview, Smith had expressed the same feelings, saying, “I think Ten and Eleven actually like each other. David and I do in real life as well, and our Doctors are quite collaborative.”

A perennial fan favorite, Tennant handed over the TARDIS to Smith in 2010 but has returned for the Doctor Who 50^th Anniversary special, airing in November.

Peter Capaldi is the Twelfth Doctor

Originally published on TheFlickcast.com.  5 August 2013.

During an agonizingly drawn out live announcement Sunday, it was finally revealed that the Twelfth Doctor is Scottish actor Peter Capaldi. He will step into the TARDIS this Christmas when current Doctor, Matt Smith, exits the show.

“Being asked to play The Doctor is an amazing privilege,” Calpaldi said. “Like The Doctor himself I find myself in a state of utter terror and delight. I can’t wait to get started.”

Steven Moffat, lead writer and executive producer says, “It’s an incendiary combination: one of the most talented actors of his generation is about to play the best part on television. Peter Capaldi is in the TARDIS!”

A lifelong Doctor Who fan, Capaldi appeared in the fourth season episode “The Fires of Pompeii” and had a recurring role in Torchwood: Children of Earth. He is perhaps best know for his role as Malcolm Tucker in the BBC comedy, The Thick Of It. He recently starred in World War Z and will be seen as Cardinal Richelieu in the BBC AMERICA and BBC One drama series The Musketeers, which will launch in early 2014.

Matt Smith Leaving 'Doctor Who' In Christmas Special 2013

Originally published on TheFlickcast.com.  2 June 2013.

The end of Eleven is coming this year. In an official release, the BBC has announced that Matt Smith will be leaving Doctor Who in this year’s Christmas special.

In a statement released by the BBC, Smith says:

"Doctor Who has been the most brilliant experience for me as an actor and a bloke, and that largely is down to the cast, crew and fans of the show.  I'm incredibly grateful to all the cast and crew who work tirelessly every day, to realize all the elements of the show and deliver Doctor Who to the audience.  Many of them have become good friends and I'm incredibly proud of what we have achieved over the last four years.

Having Steven Moffat as showrunner write such varied, funny, mind-bending and brilliant scripts has been one of the greatest and most rewarding challenges of my career.  It's been a privilege and a treat to work with Steven, he's a good friend and will continue to shape a brilliant world for the Doctor.

The fans of Doctor Who around the world are unlike any other; they dress up, shout louder, know more about the history of the show (and speculate more about the future of the show) in a way that I've never seen before, your dedication is truly remarkable.  Thank you so very much for supporting my incarnation of  the Time Lord, number Eleven, who I might add is not done yet, I'm back for the 50th anniversary and the Christmas special!

It's been an honor to play this part, to follow the legacy of brilliant actors, and helm the TARDIS for a spell with 'the ginger, the nose and the impossible one'. But when ya gotta go, ya gotta go and Trenzalore calls. Thank you guys.  Matt."

Neil Gaiman Promises Scarier Cybermen in his Second 'Doctor Who' Episode

Originally published on TheFlickcast.com.  11 May 2013.

Neil Gaiman is a geek god. He’s the author of several award winning books and comics including the series The Sandman and novel American Gods. He’s a Doctor Who fan and if he could’ve traveled with any incarnation of the Doctor, it would’ve been Patrick Troughton’s Second Doctor.

“Doctor Who was the first mythology that I ever knew,” he said.

Tonight Gaiman returns with Nightmare in Silver, the second episode he’s penned for the BBC America show about all of time and space. In Nightmare, the Doctor, Clara (Jenna Louise-Coleman), Artie and Angie arrive at Hedgewick’s World of Worlds, once the greatest theme park in the galaxy but now home to strange creatures and a terrifying new breed of Cybermen.

The Cybermen are not only one of the Doctor’s greatest enemies but one of Gaiman’s greatest passions. His first Doctor Who experience was seeing the fourth season episode, Moonbase, as a child. Swift and silent Cybermen were at the center of the episode and those villains stuck with Gaiman.

WC2013: David Tennant and Billie Piper Confirmed for 'Doctor Who' 50th Anniversary

Originally published on TheFlickcast.com.  31 March 2013.

It’s the news Whovians everywhere have been waiting for. The Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) and Rose (Billie Piper) will be return to Doctor Who for the 50th Anniversary. John Hurt is also slated to appear alongside current the Doctor (Matt Smith) and his companion Clara (Jenna-Louise Coleman).

This news comes as a surprise, though a very welcome one, to Doctor Who fans. As we reported only a few days ago, Steven Moffat himself was not confirming any details and just a week ago John Barrowman (Captain Jack Harkness) confirmed he wouldn’t be involved in the anniversary. Tennant was last seen as the much beloved Tenth Doctor in 2010’s The End of Time, which was also the last time we saw Piper’s Rose.

No word yet on how Tennant, Piper, or Hurt will figure into the plot or how much of them we’ll be seeing. Filming for the 50th Anniversary does begin this week in the UK so hopefully we’ll have more details soon. Who else are you hoping to see in the anniversary special? Tell us in the comments.

'Doctor Who's' Steven Moffat on the Creepy Spoonheads and Mysterious Clara

Originally published on TheFlickcast.com.  27 March 2013.

“Doctor Who is the most exhaustingly planned show on earth.” So says the show’s lead writer and executive producer, Steven Moffat, in an interview today. Moffat admits that he encounters few surprises when putting together the show that encompasses all of time and space but there are plenty of surprises for the audience.

The second part of season 7 begins with The Bells of Saint John, which will kick off Jenna-Louise Coleman’s run as the Eleventh Doctor’s (Matt Smith) newest companion. Speaking about Coleman, Moffat said Clara brings a wit and unimpressed quality to the TARDIS and the Time Lord that makes the Doctor work harder to be impressive.

“They have enough in common and yet enough sharp contrast,” said Moffat, referring both to the Doctor and Clara as well as Smith and Coleman.

New Posters and Trailer for 'Doctor Who' Season 7.2 Revealed

Originally published on TheFlickcast.com.  18 March 2013.

As Doctor Who's season 7.2 premiere gets closer, fans are getting a few more sneak peaks at what The Doctor and Clara will be facing. BBC America has released posters for episodes 6-9 and a new trailer.

Plus, if you can’t wait for the premiere, plot details (hint: SPOILERS) are available on the BBC America site.

Check out the new trailer and posters after the break. Doctor Who returns Saturday, March, 30 at 8P PT on BBC America followed by the new series Orphan Black.

The Doctor is Back! Check out Images From Season 7.2 of 'Doctor Who'

Originally published on TheFlickcast.com.  6 March 2013.

Geronimo! BBC America has released images from the first four episodes of the second half of season seven for the show that takes viewers through all of time and space. The pictures show not only Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor but also Jenna-Louise Coleman's companion Clara and guest stars Dougray Scott and Jessica Raine. Warning! Spoilers may follow!

Doctor Who returns with the thriller episode, The Bells of St. John, which introduces a new enemy known as the Spoonheads. Seven more episodes are set to finish out the 7th season of the timey whimey show. Since this is Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary we can expect some surprises.

In a press release from BBC America, lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat said: “It's the 50th year of Doctor Who and look what's going on! We're up in the sky and under the sea! We're running round the rings of an alien world and then a haunted house. There's new Cybermen, new Ice Warriors and a never before attempted journey to the centre of the TARDIS. And in the finale, the Doctor's greatest secret will at last be revealed!  If this wasn't already our most exciting year it would be anyway!”

Catch Doctor Who when it returns on March 30 8 p.m. ET on BBC America.

'Doctor Who' Episode of 'All-Star Celebrity Bowling' Finally Premieres on Nerdist Channel

Originally published on TheFlickcast.com.  31 Aug. 2012.

Today Nerdist Industries kicked off it's Doctor Who-eekend with an episode of All-Star Celebrity Bowling featuring Team Nerdist vs. Team Doctor Who. It is the best showdown of geekiness in all of Time and Space. There are fezzes. There are TARDIS bowling balls. There's Wil Wheaton! This is the episode whose preview brought down the house at San Diego Comic-Con. See for yourself it is lives up to its hype.

The rest of Doctor Who-eekend includes the series premiere of Dork Fork with Alton Brown where he'll be cooking up Time and Space themed dishes. Later on Saturday, the Nerdist Channel will feature Chris Hardwick's Q&A with Smith, Gillan, and Executive Producer Carole Skinner from the New York Doctor Who premiere. The Who-eekend concludes with cosplay coverage from Gallifrey One on Just Cos.

Of course you need no more prompts from us to watch the season premiere this Saturday, we have beat that info well into your head. Stay peeled to The Flickcast for any more slivers of Doctor Who info in the coming weeks while part one of the new season gets underway.

Also watch the full episode of All-Star Celebrity Bowling after the jump. The Nerdist really knows how to appeal to the Whovian in us all, enjoy!

New ‘Nerdist Channel’ Lineup Includes ‘Doctor Who’, NPH, Bill Nye, and More

Originally published on TheFlickcast.com.  26 July 2012.

Neil Patrick Harris, Bill Nye, Stephen Hawking, and the cast of Doctor Who may seem like a strange combination but The Nerdist Channel is making it work. In a preview for their programming, Nerdist Industries has managed to find a wonderful geeky balance between fun, science, and hilarious ridiculousness (see learning to tie a bow tie with Bill Nye, the Science Guy). The latter especially refers to Harris' series "Neil's Puppet Dreams," which sounds and looks just crazy enough to be awesome.

Plus, I think NPH has proven that there's really nothing he can't do. Then for all you science lovers there's "Stephen Hawking: The Nature of Black Holes," where the theoretical physicist leads you through the universe. But depending on whether or not you're a Whovian (like Hardwick) the best part of the preview is the news that the cast of Doctor Who will be featured on an episode of "Chris Hardwick’s All Star Bowling.”