The prequel for The Doctor, the Widow, and the Wardrobe has been released, as part of the Adventure Calender featured on the official Doctor Who website.
Welcome to A TARDIS-Traveller's Guide to the Whoniverse! This blog posts news updates on Doctor Who, Merlin, and Sherlock. However, we occasionally post movie and book reviews as well. Thanks for reading!
Thursday, 8 December 2011
Matt Smith on the Christmas Special
In a recent interview with What's on TV, Matt Smith talked about the upcoming Christmas special: The Doctor, the Widow, and the Wardrobe.
Can you set the scene when widow Madge Arwell and her children turn up at this draughty manor house and meet the Doctor?
“He’s very excited to see Madge and her children and make Christmas wonderful for this family who’ve been through so much. It’s very cosy and Christmassy in this house. It’s quite nice to see children as the central characters in a Christmas special.”
Why does he call himself The Caretaker?
“He just wants to give himself a new name for a while. But he’s ridiculous and they’re like, this isn’t how caretakers behave! He just wants to take care of things but of course The Doctor taking care of things is making the house twirl about in ridiculous ways. It’s the Doctor landing in a normal situation and changing it in a way only he can.”
What happens to the Doctor and the family at Christmas?
“There’s a sort of slow-burning magic to the story and it has a Narnia-esque feel to it – they all get to crawl through this mysterious blue present and into an enchanted forest that looked amazing. They covered this forest in snow. It looks incredible. We covered whole forests in snow. The scale of it is vast and it feels magical. We never see that in this country. It’s never THAT snowy.”
Is there a monster in the forest?
“There is a monster. There is a threat in this magical world, a definite threat. I’ll keep the monster as a surprise. It’s one of our best. The design of it is classic. There are others in the forest, too, who are like forestry workers in these great armoured suits. Their leader is played by comedian Bill Bailey!”
How does he get on with Madge?
“Madge is a plucky feisty mum who is quite clumsy, too, but takes care of things. The Doctor finds out something tragic about her life – and subsequently tries to give her and her children the best Christmas ever – which turns out to be the best Christmas ever in a really dangerous forest! Claire Skinner, who plays her, is great. I’m a big fan of her in Outnumbered.”
What can you reveal about the black space suit he wears at one point?
“At the beginning of the episode the Doctor finds himself in this space suit and he crashes to Earth in it. His helmet’s on backwards and he can’t see to navigate – which is funny, hopefully.”
Do you get a lot of stunts in this episode?
“Oh yes. It’s quite action-adventurey which I like. I’ve done all my own stunts this year – well I’ve done two. There have only been two! There’s a big explosion and I do the jump. And another one involves leaping over something which hopefully will be very funny as I land awkwardly. I really enjoy that. Maybe we’ll see more of an action hero Doctor next season.”
“He’s very excited to see Madge and her children and make Christmas wonderful for this family who’ve been through so much. It’s very cosy and Christmassy in this house. It’s quite nice to see children as the central characters in a Christmas special.”
Why does he call himself The Caretaker?
“He just wants to give himself a new name for a while. But he’s ridiculous and they’re like, this isn’t how caretakers behave! He just wants to take care of things but of course The Doctor taking care of things is making the house twirl about in ridiculous ways. It’s the Doctor landing in a normal situation and changing it in a way only he can.”
What happens to the Doctor and the family at Christmas?
“There’s a sort of slow-burning magic to the story and it has a Narnia-esque feel to it – they all get to crawl through this mysterious blue present and into an enchanted forest that looked amazing. They covered this forest in snow. It looks incredible. We covered whole forests in snow. The scale of it is vast and it feels magical. We never see that in this country. It’s never THAT snowy.”
Is there a monster in the forest?
“There is a monster. There is a threat in this magical world, a definite threat. I’ll keep the monster as a surprise. It’s one of our best. The design of it is classic. There are others in the forest, too, who are like forestry workers in these great armoured suits. Their leader is played by comedian Bill Bailey!”
How does he get on with Madge?
“Madge is a plucky feisty mum who is quite clumsy, too, but takes care of things. The Doctor finds out something tragic about her life – and subsequently tries to give her and her children the best Christmas ever – which turns out to be the best Christmas ever in a really dangerous forest! Claire Skinner, who plays her, is great. I’m a big fan of her in Outnumbered.”
What can you reveal about the black space suit he wears at one point?
“At the beginning of the episode the Doctor finds himself in this space suit and he crashes to Earth in it. His helmet’s on backwards and he can’t see to navigate – which is funny, hopefully.”
Do you get a lot of stunts in this episode?
“Oh yes. It’s quite action-adventurey which I like. I’ve done all my own stunts this year – well I’ve done two. There have only been two! There’s a big explosion and I do the jump. And another one involves leaping over something which hopefully will be very funny as I land awkwardly. I really enjoy that. Maybe we’ll see more of an action hero Doctor next season.”
How do you get into a Christmas frame of mind when you start filming it in September?
“The wonderful set does it for you – the snow, the pine trees and the smell of them. I’m so looking forward to Christmas! There have been a few night shoots – they can be tough.”
What were your favourite Christmas memories as a kid?
“I didn’t have Doctor Who as a kid sadly. Boxing Day was always the football in my house. I love Christmas. I can’t wait – family, presents and the rest. The older you get, the more you like buying things for other people. Working so much has meant I haven’t had much time with my family as I have previously, so to have a run of two or three days with them is good.”
Will you watch Doctor Who with your family?
“We will sit down and watch it together. My sister usually gabbles on during the middle of it. My dad will be like sssshhhhh. They like the surprise. I always get a text every Saturday saying they liked each episode.”
“The wonderful set does it for you – the snow, the pine trees and the smell of them. I’m so looking forward to Christmas! There have been a few night shoots – they can be tough.”
What were your favourite Christmas memories as a kid?
“I didn’t have Doctor Who as a kid sadly. Boxing Day was always the football in my house. I love Christmas. I can’t wait – family, presents and the rest. The older you get, the more you like buying things for other people. Working so much has meant I haven’t had much time with my family as I have previously, so to have a run of two or three days with them is good.”
Will you watch Doctor Who with your family?
“We will sit down and watch it together. My sister usually gabbles on during the middle of it. My dad will be like sssshhhhh. They like the surprise. I always get a text every Saturday saying they liked each episode.”
Wednesday, 23 November 2011
Doctor Who is 48!
Fourty-eight years ago today, An Unearthly Child aired.
It was about an old man called the Doctor (portrayed by William Hartnell) who travelled time and space in a police box.
Little did viewers know the show would go on to feature ten more incarnations and becoming the longest running science fiction show in history--as well as one of the best loved.
In two years time, the show will reach its 50th anniversary.
Happy Birthday, Doctor Who!
It was about an old man called the Doctor (portrayed by William Hartnell) who travelled time and space in a police box.
Little did viewers know the show would go on to feature ten more incarnations and becoming the longest running science fiction show in history--as well as one of the best loved.
In two years time, the show will reach its 50th anniversary.
Happy Birthday, Doctor Who!
Tuesday, 22 November 2011
Images and Summary for The Doctor, the Widow, and the Wardrobe
Several pictures and an official summary have been released for the 2011 Christmas special, entitled The Doctor, the Widow, and the Wardrobe.
The summary:
The summary:
It’s Christmas Eve, 1938, when Madge Arwell comes to the aid of an injured Spaceman Angel as she cycles home, in this year’s Doctor Who Christmas Special, starring Matt Smith as the Doctor.
He promises to repay her kindness – all she has to do is make a wish.
Three years later, a devastated Madge escapes war-torn London with her two children for a dilapidated house in Dorset. She is crippled with grief at the news her husband has been lost over the channel, but determined to give Lily and Cyril the best Christmas ever.
The Arwells are surprised to be greeted by a madcap caretaker whose mysterious Christmas gift leads them into a magical wintry world. Here, Madge will learn how to be braver than she ever thought possible. And that wishes can come true…
Friday, 18 November 2011
Trailer for the Christmas Special,
The trailer has been released for the 2011 Christmas Special, entitled The Doctor, the Widow, and the Wardrobe. From the trailer and the title, it appears reminiscent of C.S. Lewis's masterpiece.
Wednesday, 16 November 2011
Hints on the Christmas Special
The latest Doctor Who magazine has dropped several hints on the upcoming Christmas special.
- Matt Smith is madder than ever and Claire Skinner will break your heart
- Bill Bailey, Arabella Weir and Alexander Armstrong are very funny (surprise!)
- Contains the words ‘looms’, ‘panthers’, and ‘wish’
- Contains the line, “Watch and learn, kid,” followed by a loud crash
- It’s a lovely, heartwarming, touching tale and literally magical
- “It’s full of the usual concoction of things that spew out of Steven Moffat’s imagination”
- It’s more of an ensemble piece than last year’s special – “more family”
- The last ten minutes are really emotional
- No Amy and Rory brings out a different side in the Doctor
- A pic of the Doctor running in what looks like a fiery factory of some sort
- The title will be announced at Children in Need along with the preview
Saturday, 5 November 2011
Owl City Concert
Last night, I attended the All Things Bright and Beautiful Owl City tour concert.
It was, in a word, breathtaking.
Although we had to wait through two warm-up bands, by the time the concert started, everyone was extremely excited.
It opened with blue lights and the sound of rain, punctuated by flashes of white light and thunder sound effects, than Adam Young and the other musicians went on to perform many selections from over the years. As well as songs from their newest album, All Things Bright and Beautiful, there were older songs from Ocean Eyes and Maybe I'm Dreaming. Some of these included Cave In, Dear Vienna, Meteor Shower, and Vanilla Twilight.
There was also a new song, I Hope You Think of Me.
And of course, the ever-popular Fireflies was performed, with Adam inviting the audience to sing along. Of course, when we did, we sounded about ten because everyone was smiling so hard.
After The Yacht Club was performed as the final song--with magnificent lighting throughout--and Owl City left the stage, everyone began chanting 'One more song! One more song!" To our delight, they complied, singing not one, but two more songs--Vanilla Twilight and If My Heart Was a House, bringing an end to an amazingly brilliant concert.
It was, in a word, breathtaking.
Although we had to wait through two warm-up bands, by the time the concert started, everyone was extremely excited.
It opened with blue lights and the sound of rain, punctuated by flashes of white light and thunder sound effects, than Adam Young and the other musicians went on to perform many selections from over the years. As well as songs from their newest album, All Things Bright and Beautiful, there were older songs from Ocean Eyes and Maybe I'm Dreaming. Some of these included Cave In, Dear Vienna, Meteor Shower, and Vanilla Twilight.
There was also a new song, I Hope You Think of Me.
 | |
| Galaxies (which had phenomenal lighting effects) |
After The Yacht Club was performed as the final song--with magnificent lighting throughout--and Owl City left the stage, everyone began chanting 'One more song! One more song!" To our delight, they complied, singing not one, but two more songs--Vanilla Twilight and If My Heart Was a House, bringing an end to an amazingly brilliant concert.
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