We’re still in a news drought…might as well start calling this column “Semi-Annual Checkup.” But we did have a real major Doctor Who announcement this week, so let’s get right to business!
Introducing the newest companion!!
The BBC have announced that the new co-star to appear alongside Matt Smith in Doctor Who is to be Jenna-Louise Coleman, who joins the show in the sixth episode this year, due to be shown at Christmas.
The actress was announced via the BBC’s Doctor Who feed on Twitter, which also included some quotes. Jenna-Louise said: “I want to get started already. I’m a huge fan of the show. Matt Smith did my audition with me. It was fun and I felt like we were in it together.”; and on her favourite companion, “Between Billie Piper and Karen Gillan”. Lead writer Steven Moffat said: “We saw a lot of brilliant actresses. But Jenna was the only person going faster than Matt – he had to keep up!”
Expanding on this in the press release, he said:
It always seems impossible when you start casting these parts, but when we saw Matt and Jenna together, we knew we had our girl. She’s funny and clever and exactly mad enough to step on board the TARDIS.
It’s not often the Doctor meets someone who can talk even faster than he does, but it’s about to happen. Jenna is going to lead him his merriest dance yet. And that’s all you’re getting for now. Who she’s playing, how the Doctor meets her, and even where he finds her, are all part of one of the biggest mysteries the Time Lord ever encounters. Even by the Doctor’s standards, this isn’t your usual boy meets girl.
Danny Cohen, the Controller for BBC One, added:
As we approach Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary it’s great to welcome a new companion to the TARDIS. I feel confident the Doctor will look after her in his own very unique style.
Skitch Commentary: My initial reaction to her was “Wow, she’s hot!” And then I sort of rolled my eyes and said, “Another white female in her mid 20’s?” Which I know is definitely unfair. The New Doctor Who has had a variety of companions, not just characters in the Rose Tyler mold…though throughout Doctor Who history, we have had an awful lot of white females in their twenties…
Having had a few days to sink in, I am looking forward to seeing what Jenna-Louise Coleman brings to Doctor Who. I don’t really know her work all that much. She was in Captain America, but didn’t really stand out to me. They haven’t cast a bad companion yet! And she gets to be the companion during the 50th Anniversary, so that’s pretty cool.
Here’s a quick video interview BBC did with her:
More info on Season Seven
The other thing that was revealed about this story was a little bit more about what we will be seeing in Season Seven, including Amy and Rory’s last “villains,” and how the episodes will be laid out:
It was also confirmed this morning when Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill will depart, with Steven Moffat saying: “Amy and Rory will leave in the fifth episode that goes out, and it will be a final encounter with the Weeping Angels, and not everybody gets out alive – and I mean it this time!”
As well as the lonely assassins, Doctor Who Magazine have also reported that the Daleks, too, will feature during the first half of the series this Autumn.
Speaking to the Radio Times at the Royal Television Society awards last night, Moffat explained the style of story-telling for the next series:
This time we’re moving closer to stand-alone stories. At this point, we’re not planning any two-parters. So, every week is going to be like a different mad movie.We went quite ‘arc’ last time and we’re going stand-alone this time around. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t those things creeping in. You’ve got to find a way to make the last episode special, and by God that worked ratings-wise last year. We don’t want to abandon that idea.
Watch out for the title of episode two. I think that’s a belter. It’s one of my favourite titles ever.
After the six episodes broadcast in the Autumn/Christmas this year, the remaining eight will be shown next year, with Moffat adding: “Oh, there’ll be more episodes than just those eight, but these are the ones we’re making right now.” No other details of when and what else will occur during the 50th Anniversary have been revealed as yet.
Skitch Commentary: Really glad to here that they are moving more towards stand alone episodes again. That really is my favorite kind of Doctor Who.
I am kind of sad that by Christmas, we will only really have six episodes of Doctor Who for the year, but I am really looking forward to them! And next year’s 50th anniversary should be huge!!
Split-Screen Footage from Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock
BBC America posted some great footage of Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock coming for PS3, Vita, and PC in the next few months (shame for no Xbox 360 and Wii), with great voice work from Matt Smith and Alex Kingston. Awesome to see the Silence are in it!!
BBC using Doctor Who as viral marketing in America
Multichannel.com has posted some of the viral billboards BBC America has been using in New York, including one that says, “My other commute is a Tardis.”
The article also said that BBC America plans to spend half of it’s advertising budget in New York alone, which surprised me. I went to a great premiere party in New York for Doctor Who Series 6, and it was packed with great Doctor Who fans, and New York really is the cultural capital of America (guarantee I will get some angry letters from the rest of the nation, but I grew up in the New York area, so I know it’s true), so it makes a lot of sense.
These are awesome Doctor Who T-Shirts!
Doctor Who News posted these terrific Doctor Who T-Shirts that Forbidden Planet is selling:
This One For the Bronies!
Saw this online, and had to include it in my column, Doctor Whooves: A Good Pony Goes to War:
How to fake Venusian Aikido
Mental Floss posted an article on how to fake some fictional martial arts style, and the first one they mentioned was the Third Doctor’s Venusian Aikido!
What it is: The eleven Doctors on the long-running British serial, while being of exceedingly varied temperaments, have all shied away from violence whenever possible. However, from 1970-1974, the third doctor, played by Jon Pertwee, became a master of Venusian Aikido.
Real aikido stresses self-defense while protecting the attacker from serious injury; the BBC’s time-traveler was no different. After defeating three armed men in 1973’s “The Green Death” the Doctor shouts, “Venusian Aikido, gentlemen! I do hope I haven’t hurt you!” before shuffling off to continue his adventure. At various times, the Doctor uses pressure points, kicks, throws, and even joint locks. While he never really gives anyone more information on Venusian Aikido other than its name, it proved more than effective at helping him out of jams even if he was a couple centuries old—he did only look 55 anyway.
How to fake it: Technically, the art is designed for Venusians, so you’d need five arms and five legs to really throw down. But from the looks of it, the Doctor’s style mostly consists of yelling “Hi-ya!” and tossing out some classic ‘70s judo throws and karate chops.
So now you can impress your friends and pick up chicks using your bad ass new martial arts skills…
Hmmm…come to think about it, I guess if you want chicks, you should go with the Weirding Way….Mau’dib’ is a lady-killing word.
