Doctor Who interview: Karen Gillan
Karen Gillan (BBC)
The BBC provided Nerdage with this interview with new “Doctor Who” co-star Karen Gillan. Read on for her take on her audition, Matt Smith as the Doctor, and more.
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The regenerations of the Doctor are a staple part of the mythology of Doctor Who, but across the past five decades there has been another constant in the series; the changing faces of his companion. Now Karen Gillan, born in Inverness, Scotland, becomes the latest actress to join the Doctor in the TARDIS. Here she discusses landing the enviable role, the production team’s continued use of secret anagrams (Torchwood was an anagram used for labeling Doctor Who tapes on older seasons) and making her mother cry…
“It was one of the strangest experiences ever; it was a really weird feeling,” exclaims Karen Gillan about her casting as Amy Pond. “I found out on the day of my second audition with Matt, so at least I didn’t have a really long wait. It just didn’t feel real, and I couldn’t believe it!”
But auditioning for Doctor Who is unlike any other audition for the excitable, down to earth actress: “I knew that the audition was for the part of the Companion, but I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone about it. They even had a code name for the role because it was so top secret. The code name was ‘Panic Moon’; an anagram of Companion which I thought was really clever.”
Doctor Who interview: Matt Smith
Matt Smith as the Doctor. (BBC)
The BBC provided Nerdage with this interview with new “Doctor Who” star Matt Smith. Read on for his take on the first day of filming, the fans, the TARDIS and more.
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It may be the eleventh time an actor has taken on the iconic role of the Doctor, but Matt Smith hasn’t let that stand in his way of creating his very own vision for the character. Here he explains what it was like to land the role and talks about his dream trip in the TARDIS.
“It was quite weird news to receive,” says Matt Smith, the youngest actor to play the title role of hit show Doctor Who. “I mean at that point it was a piece of information I couldn’t share with anyone so it didn’t feel tangible, but needless to say I was very pleased.”
“I actually ended up walking around London listening to Sinatra on my iPod,” laughs the 27 year old as he
Matt Smith as the New Doctor
tries to explain the moment he found out he had won the much coveted role of the Doctor. “Funnily enough my mum had texted me to say she thought I should play the Doctor a week before my agent asked me to audition so she was delighted I got the part. I was also abroad when it was announced on the BBC and my phone went mad – the bill was enormous!”
Doctor Who interview: Steven Moffatt
The BBC provided Nerdage with this interview with new “Doctor Who” executive producer and lead writer Steven Moffatt. Read on for his take on casting the Doctor, the first day of filming, and more.
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Steven Moffatt
Steven Moffat is a BAFTA-award winning writer whose career in television has spanned more than 20 years and produced some of the UK’s best-loved television dramas in that time. But more than that, he is a Doctor Who fan who has just been handed his dream job – in charge of this iconic drama series.
“I suppose I could say the reason I started working in TV is because I was such a huge fan of Doctor Who,” explains Steven. “I was absolutely fascinated and thrilled by the show. I wanted to know how the TARDIS disappeared, how all the special effects worked and why the Doctor changed. As a viewer you want to know why he looks different; it’s a show that compels you to look behind the scenes. In fact, over the years I think I’ve bought every single issue of Doctor Who Magazine since it launched.”
But there was a long period when Doctor Who was not on screen; did Steven ever worry that he wouldn’t get the opportunity to achieve his lifelong ambition and write for the show? “I tumbled through the door of children’s TV, became quite a cool children’s TV writer for about 48 seconds in 1989 and they basically axed Doctor Who that day!” says Steven with a chuckle. “After 26 years, just when I thought I’d finally get to write for the show, I missed out by an afternoon.”
New Doctor Who premieres April 17
Matt Smith as the new Doctor in "Doctor Who."
According to a release from the BBC, “Doctor Who” returns for a new series from writer Steven Moffat on April 17. The premiere will air at 9 p.m. ET/PT and is an extended version with limited commercial interruption.
The episode is described as follows: With his time machine, the TARDIS, wrecked and the sonic screwdriver, his most crucial device destroyed, the new Doctor has just 20 minutes to save the whole world – and only Amy Pond to help him.
Steven Moffat, who created the BAFTA-winning “Doctor Who” episode “Blink,” which starred Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan, takes over as lead writer and executive producer.
“Doctor Who is the adventures of an entirely mysterious stranger from outer space. With a time and space machine that can go absolutely anywhere,” Moffatt said in a news release. “It’s literally a television show set in everyplace in the universe, every point in history and in every style and every genre. It’s all the other shows in one. You don’t have to watch the rest of television – this is it.”
“Doctor Who” fans will get a chance to see the premiere early at special screenings at WonderCon in San Francisco on April 3 and C2E2 in Chicago on April 16.
For more on Doctor Who, please visit http://bbcamerica.com/doctorwho.
- Matt Price
David Tennant era of Doctor Who closes
Check out today’s Planet 46 for a look at the final episodes of David Tennant’s Doctor Who, and an interview with Julie Gardner recapping why she thinks the relaunch of Doctor Who in 2005 became so successful.
- Matt Price
DVD review – Doctor Who: The Complete Specials
David Tennant’s final turn as the Doctor comes to DVD and Blu-ray in “Doctor Who: The Complete Specials.”
The Doctor is the last Time Lord, a human-looking alien who saves the day in times of crisis and frequently travels through time and space in the TARDIS, a ship that resembles a 1950s police call box. Tennant’s wisecracking, ever-prepared version of the Doctor has provided popular with fans, and these five specials are the last in which he will star.
The first of the specials features the time-traveling Doctor in 1851 London on Christmas Eve. He meets someone else who also believes himself to be the Doctor, and the two face off against Cybermen, cyborg invaders from another dimension.
The second special, “Planet of the Dead,” features Michelle Ryan as a jewel thief who teams up with the Doctor when they are thrown through a rift in space. On an apparently desolate planet, they must find their way back to earth, along with a busload of passengers accidentally stranded.
The third special, “The Waters of Mars,” features the Doctor’s encounter with Earth’s first pioneers on Mars.
The final two specials, “The End of Time” parts one and two, feature the return of the insane Master (John Simm), who is intent on taking over the Earth. But the Master is just a pawn in a larger play. The first of the two-part episode feels oddly paced, but it all comes together in the end, as Tennant’s final episode of “Doctor Who” sends him out with emotion and grace. Fans also get the first look as Matt Smith as the new Doctor.
Extras include Doctor Who Confidential, deleted scenes, video diaries with Tennant, audio commentaries and featurettes.
- Matthew Price
BBC America breaks ratings records again with Doctor Who
David Tennant’s final bow as the Doctor in “Doctor Who” brought ratings records to BBC America.
The U.S. Premiere of “Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part Two,” followed by the premiere of the series “Demons,” brought the highest-ever primetime rating and delivery in total viewers to BBC America. The shows aired Saturday, Jan. 2.
A “Doctor Who” marathon throughout the day of Jan. 2 brought BBC America its best total day delivery ever in A25-54 in Live and Live + Same Day DVR. BBC AMERICA’s previous highest ever primetime rating was delivered by the first special, “Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars,” which aired two weeks earlier.
The final special starring David Tennant as the tenth Doctor ended with the Doctor regenerating into the eleventh Doctor, to be played by Matt Smith.
“Demons,” which followed “The End of Time, Part Two” stars Philip Glenister (“Life on Mars,” “Ashes to Ashes”) and puts a contemporary spin on Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.” A teaser for Doctor Who season five was shown during “Demons.” That teaser is now online here.
Source: Nielsen NH1, 1/2/10 Live and Live+ Same Day; Info from BBC America.
Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars sets BBC America ratings record
BBC America has announced that Saturday’s showing of “Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars” brought in the highest-ever primetime rating for the network.
More than 1.1 million viewers tuned in to “Waters of Mars,” the first of three Doctor Who specials that will air on three straight Saturdays, as David Tennant ends his run as the Doctor.
BBC AMERICA ranked No. 13 in coverage rating during the premiere among ad supported cable nets for A25-54.
Click past the cut for the full release.
David Tennant’s final Doctor Who to air Jan. 2
The air date for the final episode of David Tennant’s “Doctor Who” was announced today. “The End of Time, Part Two” will air at 8 ET/PT on Jan. 2, one week after “The End of Time, Part One.” I’m looking forward to the finale, but melancholy about Tennant’s exit. As I’ve said before, I wasn’t a Doctor Who fan prior to the relaunch, so I’ve only watched the show with Christopher Eccleston and Tennant. Given how much fun Tennant’s episodes have been, the next Doctor (Matt Smith) has some large shoes to fill.
Click past the cut for the release from BBC America.
Doctor Who: The End of Time Part 1 to debut Dec. 26
More info from BBC America about the air dates of the final David Tennant Doctor Who episodes. Note, the five-disc set containing all the specials comes out on my birthday, Groundhog Day 2010.
PRESS RELEASE
The finale to the era of David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor, is one of the most eagerly anticipated adventures in the history of Doctor Who. As previously announced, the next special, Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars premieres Saturday December 19, 9:00pm ET/PT on BBC AMERICA. The final two specials, Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part One and Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part Two, will premiere over the holiday season starting December 26 on BBC AMERICA. Guest stars John Simm, Timothy Dalton, Catherine Tate, Lindsay Duncan and Bernard Cribbins join Tennant on his final journey. Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part One premieres Saturday December 26, 9:00pm ET/PT on BBC AMERICA. The End of Time, Part Two premiere date will be announced very soon.
