I’ve been greatly looking forward to this year’s Top Gear Christmas season special – especially after I heard it would take place in India – a country that would surely challenge our crew. The question is – could they top last year’s Middle East special or the best Christmas special of recent years – the Vietnam special?

I think they have.

The premise of this year’s special is simple – to help save Britain’s economy they set off to India on a trade mission. Amusingly, they start out at 10 Downing St with the Prime Minister telling them not to go and to stay away from India.

Fast forward to India and they introduce their choice of cars for the journey. They make Interesting choices of cars – Jeremy chooses a Jaguar XJS, James a Rolls Royce and Richard chooses a classic Mini cooper. I question the logic of choosing a mini with a Union Jack painted on the roof…

One thing is clear from this special – India is a dizzying place. I’m not sure it’s a place I could comfortably travel too.

This special had a slightly different structure than previous specials. Their journey across India was interspersed with several mini adventures including an 18 hour train ride, creating banners to promote British Business, a hill rally using locals, etc. I liked the new structure.

Indian highways are rather crazy and the crew gets into several altercations and discover that when they get into accidents with Indians, they Indians keep on driving. I would also not recommend playing ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ on a loudspeaker as you drive through India.

The highlight of the episode is when they attempt to have a British Garden Party to demonstrate British Food, products and culture. It of course ends up being a disaster of Top Gear proportions.

The journey ends with them driving through in the Himalayas to reach the end of India and it’s a beautiful journey with plenty of scenery to admire. If you can watch this special in HD – it’s quite spectacular.

There’s a rather funny moment near the end where they share their dream of a fantasy Top Gear Christmas special. Honestly, it’s much more entertaining to watch them suffer.

The 2011 Top Gear Christmas India special was a very entertaining journey and I can’t wait to see where they take us in the new series of Top Gear (Series 18) due to start in the UK in January.

Top Gear – India Special Review – 2011 Christmas Special is a post from: Anglotopia.net

The British TV Podcast with Chrissy & Ryan presents its 2011 Holiday Special. We review the recent Christmas specials on British TV including “Doctor Who,” “Downton Abbey,” “The Borrowers,” “Lost Christmas” and more. Ryan finishes the year with his Top 10 list of favourite TV shows.

Listen to Show 102

British TV Podcast – 2011 Holiday Special – Downton Abbey, Doctor Who and More! is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Our Christmas treat this year was two hours in the best-known country house in Britain in the Downton Abbey Christmas Special.

The residents of Downton Abbey celebrate Christmas 1919 with a lavish party in the first Downton Abbey Christmas special. Tensions are in the air as Bates’s situation casts a shadow over the festivities. Mary has to consider her future with Sir Richard Carlisle following a disagreement at a shoot and Violet has concerns about Rosamund, whose new suitor – the dashing but raffish Lord Hepworth – is not all he seems.

As the doors open again at Downton Abbey, the magnificent Christmas tree is lit and masters are giving servants their gifts. But there’s a shadow across the celebrations as decent, wronged John Bates (Brendan Coyle) languishes alone and quietly despairing. There’s a new opening especially for Christmas and Downton is resplendently decorated for Christmas.

There are many atmospheric establishing shots showing Downton during the winter season and it looks just as beautiful as it does any other time of the year.

The house is bubbling with the conflict of the many romantic entanglements that have been festering for two seasons. It’s also rather entertaining to see a real old school English shoot and how the English upper classes celebrate the holiday season.

It’s not too much to say that Lady Mary’s dark secret is finally coming out to pretty much everyone else that didn’t already know about it and there are many surprising results and many satisfying conclusions to the related plot threads.

There were some major weaknesses and plot absurdities in series 2 (which we talked about in our previous reviews) – the Christmas special more than make up for all of them by wrapping up a bunch of plot threads and telling a tight knit Christmas themed story.

Overall the Downton Abbey Christmas special was a satisfying way to spend a Christmad Day afternoon. There were many shocking story turns but also many happy ones and writer Julian Fellowes as done a superb job of whetting our appetites for more Downton next fall.

The Christmas Special will air in the USA as the end of the PBS Masterpiece airing of the show starting next week.

What did you think of the Downton Abbey Christmas Special? Let us know in the comments!

Downton Abbey: Series 2 – 2011 Christmas Special Review – SPOILER FREE!!! is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Off to a rocketing start with the Doctor falling through space in typical a absurd Doctor Who situation.

In this year’s Christmas special, our Time Lord crash-lands on Earth during the Second World War (sure to be a popular plot point), where he tries to make sure two unfortunate evacuees and their mother have the best Christmas ever. Doctor takes it upon himself to create the most magical Christmas ever for two children who’s father has died (and they don’t know it yet).

Using a magical present, the Doctor transports them to a magical land dominated by an enchanted forest with living trees – but that is when their troubles really begin.

Claire Skinner, Bill Bailey, Arabella Weir and Alexander Armstrong have joined Matt Smith in this year’s festive special, inspired by CS Lewis’s Narnia stories.

It’s a fine line between ‘inspired’ and ‘copied.’ But it’s a line they hold and it’s a fun story overall.

After the huge stakes of the previous series that ended earlier in the fall, it’s nice to see a self-contained Doctor Who story where the world isn’t going to end.

For the record, I want the Spitefire wallpaper I noticed in the background in one scene!

One of my favorite lines is: “There’s no crying in military engagements.”

One thing of note that was very subtle – in this episode he’s not called The Doctor, he’s the Caretaker by the character and the Doctor lets them.

The Doctor gets taught a very valuable lesson in being full of himself.

My second favorite line is: “Hold tight and pretend it’s a plan.”

The special has a nice happy ending and a nice happy Christmas message. We get a cameo from the Pond’s (and it’s quite a bit of time since they saw The Doctor Last). Usually the Doctor Who christmas specials sometimes end up being rather disappointing and Stephen Moffat really delivers with this one. It will become a cherished classic.

The Doctor returns… we don’t know as it doesn’t say when the credit are over. But it’s been confirmed that this is our last glimpse of The Doctor until fall 2012 (we’re predicting and September return).

Happy Christmas everyone!

What did you think of the 2011 Doctor Who Christmas Special? Let us know in the comments!

Doctor Who: 2011 Christmas Special – The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe Review – SPOILER FREE!!! is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Happy Holidays to everyone in Anglotopia land!  May the holidays and Boxing Day find you well and in good health!

Who fandom is very excited about the Christmas Special this weekend. It will indeed be good to see Matt Smith again for the first time in what seems like ages. The Christmas Special seems entrenched as a DW tradition so lets all hope this one is fantastic.

I really enjoyed last years and can only hope Team Moffat lives up to the hype.

As the year closes Doctor Who remains a huge ratings phenomenon on both sides of the Atlantic. Matt Smith’s Doctor has achieved a great deal of love and fondness from fans of the show and he’s one of the reasons why the show has really become the juggernaut that it is.

As we move into 2012 we’ll see the show change and reshape itself once more. Hopefully it’ll remain awesome and innovative and continue to draw new fan engagement. One thing is for sure, it s not going away anytime soon.

The success of Doctor Who this year is a staggering achievement in the history of the program. It has never been this massive or this epic in scope and scale.

Changes are coming next year for the show, but fear not, it should still remain the cultural institution and an innovative television show that it is now.

But it will be interesting to see where all of this is going…

THE DOCTOR THE WIDOW & THE WARDROBE UPDATE

The UK DVD cover has been released by 2 Entertain along with information on the DVD release of this year’s Christmas Special.It will be released in North America on February 14, 21012.

The DVD will feature the Christmas Special along with the Prequel video and three forty five minute documentaries, Best Of The Doctor, Best Of The Monsters
and Best Of The Companions.

I think the three docs were the ones screened on BBC America.

SPOLIERY BITS AND REVIEWS

It is set in 1941

There are trees in it

The Outer Space Park Patrol is on the job

Amy and Rory are in a teeny weeny bit of it

The Doctor wears a space suit

Yes it is Christmassy

References are made to Eccleston and Davison era stories

Some early reviews from people who have already seen it think that Matt Smith is terrific in it

Opinions vary on the pacing of the show with some saying it is convoluted and others saying it is dull

Bill Bailey is said ot be very funny in it but underused

Holly Earl is amazing in this as Lily and said to be companion material. Hmm……

Despite all of this I am looking forward to seeing it and hoping so much that is does not suck as it is the last we’ll see of The Doctor for quite some time. Sigh.

HARTNELL AT CHRISTMAS

Something remarkable happened during Episode 7 of The Daleks’ Master Plan (titled, the Feast of Steven).

William Hartnell broke character to wish the audience at home a Merry Christmas. Although the video has been lost, the moment has been reconstructed on You Tube with existing  audio! The episode aired on Christmas Day, 1965.

This is the only time the show has broken down the invisible wall with the audience and it is a shame that no video of it exists. At the time that it occurred it was said to be pretty amazing.

TOMB OF THE CYBERMEN DVD EXTRAS

The Revisitations 3 Box Set in the UK is featuring an all new, fully remastered version of Tomb of The Cybermen. This version will still have audio commentaries from Frazer Hines and Deborah Watling along with some nifty extra features, including two new documentaries.

Here is a list o f the new extra features:

The Lost Giants-Making of Tomb of the Cybermen

The Curse of the Cybermen’s Tomb

The Magic of Vidfire

Cybermen-Extended Edition

Sky Ray Advert

Photo Gallery

Easter Egg

THE THREE DOCTORS DVD EXTRAS

Another release in the Revisitations 3 Box Set is 1973′s, The Three Doctors which was the 10th anniversary special for the program. The DVDS in the box set will be released as separate titles as well. Each DVD will also include the original DVD extras from their debut release.

The Three Doctors has three new features attached to it as extras:

Happy Birthday To Who

Girls, Girls, Girls-The 1970s

Was Doctor Who Rubbish?

Girls, Girls, Girls looks at the show’s female companions of the 1970s. Happy Birthday to Who focusing on the hoopla of the show’s 10 year anniversary.

WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE

Another nifty 11th Doctor graphic novel is out from IDW publishing. This one sees The Doctor, Rory and Amy in a completely new, non-TV adventure. Tim Lee has again recreated the feel of the show in the pages of his comics.

From the publisher:

Join the Doctor and his companions, Amy and Rory, as they travel to the far reaches of space-a vacation planet built on a rift where multiple alternate adventures overlay each other-and the distant past-where our heroes must face Vikings to save their friend and the future of Britain! This book collects issues #5-8 of the ongoing series, written by Tony Lee with art by Mark Buckingham (Fables) and Matthew Dow Smith, and cover by Tommy Lee Edwards (Turf).

FOURTH DOCTOR AUDIO NEWS

Big Finish has released the tiles for for stories in the next round of 4th Doctor audio adventures. These stories, slated for release in 2013, will reteam Tom Baker with Mary Tamm as the first Romana. John Leeson will also be back as the voice of K-9. The titles of the final two stories will be announced at a later date.

Here are the titles:

The Auntie Matter by Jonathan Morris

The Sands of Life by Nicholas Briggs

War Against the Laan-by Nicholas Briggs

Phantoms of the Deep by Jonathan Morris

The Sands of Life and War Against the Laan are one continuing story by Nicholas Briggs. With Hayley Atwell, Toby Hadoke and David Warner as guest stars this looks to be epic!

Former Borg Queen, Alice Kriege guest stars in Phantoms of The Deep.

Julia Mckenzie (Miss Marple) guest stars in Auntie Matter.

BAKER IN JAGO & LITEFOOT AUDIO

(photo courtesy of Big Finish & Tom Richardson)

Tom Baker will also guest star in the Jago & Litefoot audio series, reprising his role as The Doctor in their season five audio The Justice of Lalxar. Jago and Litefoot were introduced in The Talons of Weng Chiang.

THE OSEIDON ADVENTURE

The final release in the first season of The Fourth Doctor Adventures has been announced by Big Finish.

The Doctor is in it pretty deep as he battles both the Kraals and the Master in thrilling climax to his first season of audio adventures. The Oseidon Adventure is penned by Alan Barnes and features the return of Geoffrey Beevers as The Master and Louise Jameson as Leela.

It is scheduled for release next month!

This should be fun since The Kraals were last seen onscreen in The Android Invasion and fans have long been clamoring for their return.

For information on all things Big Finish visit: www.bigfinish.com

DAVID TENNANT READS CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG

Former Tenth Doctor David Tennant was hand picked by the Ian Fleming estate to voice the audio sequel to Ian Fleming’s book and film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

(picture courtesy of Ianfleming.com)

Tennant’s voice can be heard on the audio adaptation of Frank Cottell Boyce’s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again, a sequel to Fleming’s book.

He spoke with The Guardian earlier this week and called the story, ‘very clever, slightly surreal and hugely readable.’

Hear the interview here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/childrens-books-site/audio/2011/dec/21/david-tennant-chitty-chitty?newsfeed=true

Download information for the story is here: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/chitty-chitty-bang-bang-flies/id469400803?mt=11

Next time…More DVD News, XMAS Special Wrap Up, The Other Season 7 and more!

Doctor Whooligan: 2011 Doctor Who Christmas Special, Christmas With The First Doctor, DVDs, David Tennant, Graphic Novels, The Kraals Are Back, Big Finish Audio News is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Doctor Who and Sherlock Showrunner Stephen Moffat appeared on BBC Breakfast today talking about the Doctor Who Christmas Special and the New Year’s return of the hit show Sherlock.

Check it out below:

Doctor Who: Steven Moffat on BBC Breakfast talking about Doctor Who and Sherlock is a post from: Anglotopia.net

The BBC has released two new preview clips from their upcoming adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations starring Gillian Anderson.

Pip Returns to Satis House – Great Expectations – BBC One

Pip returns to Satis House a young gentleman. He is reunited with Miss Havisham and Estella. Miss Havisham has great hopes for their future.

Miss Havisham Interrogates Pip – Great Expectations – BBC One

Miss Havisham asks orphan Pip about his dead parents and siblings as Estella listens in. She suggests that perhaps if Pip has been spared, he might be meant for something special.

Great Expectations: BBC Releases Two Clips from New Dickens Drama is a post from: Anglotopia.net

The BBC has released two trailer previews of the upcoming Top Gear India Christmas special which will see the Top Gear grew go on a trade mission to India, with a Top Gear bent.

Top Gear India Special Trailer – BBC Two

Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May set out to boost the British economy by embarking on a trade mission to India.

Top Gear India Special – BBC Two – Little Longer Preview

This trailer has some new footage that’s not in the previous trailer.

Top Gear: BBC Releases Trailer Preview for Top Gear India Christmas Special is a post from: Anglotopia.net

ITV has aired a full minute long preview trailer of the upcoming 2011 Downton Abbey Christmas Special. It’s quite a bit longer than the glimpse we posted the other day.

Do not watch this if you haven’t seen any of season 2. SPOILERS!!!

Check it out below:

Downton Abbey: Full Length Preview Trailer Released for Downton Abbey Christmas Special – SPOILERS!!! is a post from: Anglotopia.net

The BBC has released three clips from the 2011 Christmas Special The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe.

We’ve posted them below.

Clip 1

Clip 2

Clip 3

The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe airs on Christmas Day in the UK and the USA. Looks like fun!

Doctor Who: Three Preview Clips Released from 2011 Christmas Special is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Check out this new BBC One trailer for Doctor Who 2011 Christmas Special: The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe.

Doctor Who: BBC Releases New Doctor Who 2011 Christmas Special Trailer is a post from: Anglotopia.net

ITV has released a 2 minute preview of their 2011 Christmas special slate. We get glimpses of Downton Abbey, Poirot, Inspector Gently and more.

Check it out below:

Christmas 2011: ITV Releases Trailer for their slate of Christmas Specials for 2011 is a post from: Anglotopia.net

ITV premiered a very short trailer for the 2011 Downton Abbey Christmas special last night during Prime time.

Do not watch this if you haven’t seen any of series 2.

Check it out below:

Downton Abbey: ITV Premieres 2011 Christmas Special Preview Trailer is a post from: Anglotopia.net

A few days ago we posted a great interview with Gillian Anderson about her upcoming role in the BBC’s new version of Great Expectations. Now we have the first trailer preview.

Check it out below:

Lavish adaptation of the classic Charles Dickens novel in which orphan Pip becomes a gentleman when his life is transformed by a mystery benefactor.

Great Expectations Trailer – BBC One – Gillian Anderson Starring is a post from: Anglotopia.net

The BBC has released two clips from the 2011 Doctor Who Christmas Special The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe.

Check them out below:

Doctor Who: Two Clips Released from 2011 Christmas Special is a post from: Anglotopia.net

The BBC has released a series of trailers to promote their Christmas 2011 Christmas Special lineup.

BBC One Christmas 2011 – Christmas Feast

A taste of BBC One’s Christmas line up for 2011 featuring EastEnders, Lapland, Absolutely Fabulous, The Royal Bodyguard, Doctor Who, Frozen Planet, Mrs Brown’s Boys, Winter Wipeout, Strictly Come Dancing, The Borrowers, Great Expectations, John Bishop’s Britain, The Graham Norton Show, The Gruffalo’s Child, The Michael McIntyre Comedy Roadshow and Lost Christmas with appearances from (amongst a festive host of others) Jennifer Saunders, Sir David Jason, Sue Johnston, Sir David Attenborough, Matt Smith, Joanna Lumley, David Suchet, Christopher Eccleston, Ray Winston and Stephen Fry.

BBC One Christmas 2011 – Comedy and Entertainment

BBC Christmas Comedy featuring Outnumbered, Absolutely Fabulous, The Royal Bodyguard, Strictly Come Dancing, The Graham Norton Show, John Bishop’s Britain, The Michael McIntyre Comedy Roadshow, Winter Wipeout, Lapland, Mrs Brown’s Boys.

BBC One – Christmas Drama 2011 Trailer

Clips from Great Expectations, Doctor Who, Sherlock and more!

BBC Christmas: The Beeb Releases Video Previews of their Christmas 2011 Specials is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Steven Moffat introduces this year’s Doctor Who Christmas Special:

“The Doctor at Christmas – it always just feels so right. When I was a kid, Santa and the Doctor somehow lived in the same place in my head – two generous madmen that I loved so much. So now that the Doctor is a regular feature of Christmas the world is just that bit more right.

“This time we’re in England in the 1940s, and recently widowed Madge Arwell hasn’t told her children, Lily and Cyril, that their father has died flying his bomber home over the channel, because she doesn’t want Christmas to become the day that broke their hearts.

“But when they’re evacuated to a draughty old house in Dorset for the holidays, and meet a mysterious young caretaker in a bow tie, events take an unexpected turn. What could be inside that big blue parcel under the tree?

“Soon the Arwells find themselves in a battle for survival in a magical new land. As ever, at this time of year, the Doctor is trying to make things right, and as always it doesn’t go according to plan. But maybe he’s reckoned without the power of a determined mother.

“This Christmas, it might just be the lonely Time Lord who’s shown the way home.”

Interview with Matt Smith

The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe is Matt Smith’s second Christmas outing as the Doctor and this time he doesn’t have his trusted companions, ‘The Ponds’, by his side. However, it hasn’t stopped him relishing in another Christmassy adventure and here he reveals what Doctor Who has in store for festive viewers.

“Doctor Who and Christmas go hand in hand don’t they?” laughs Matt Smith as he sits down to discuss the special episode of Who, penned by Steven Moffat. “It’s a brilliant and touching story about a family who have experienced a tragic event and in many ways they’ve had Christmas stolen from them.”

Matt reveals that Madge Arwell and her two young children, Lily and Cyril, have been evacuated during the Blitz to a ramshackled old house in the country where the Doctor has taken up residence as caretaker. “The Doctor, in a very ‘Doctory’ way, tries to bring Christmas spirit and cheer back into their lives,” explains Matt. “He has ‘Doctorified’ the house so to speak and there’s a magical present under the Christmas tree which is a portal to another world. Cyril enters it and discovers an enchanting landscape that encapsulates the beauty, danger and madness that is Doctor Who at Christmas.”

So will viewers be cowering behind their turkey and stuffing sandwiches on Christmas Day? “Well there are two scary characters that live in a huge tower and move in a very strange and menacing way,” confides Matt with a conspiratorial grin. “I also really enjoyed making this episode because the characters unfold in a subtle way and you never quite know what’s waiting around the corner. I also loved working with the guest cast who all seemed to have a whale of a time.”

The Doctor has had many festive adventures over the years but what are Matt’s favourite Christmas memories? “The best present I’ve ever had was a snooker table when I was a kid,” he reveals, “although my SEGA Mega Drive came close! I also used to love getting pyjamas and wearing them all day. Plus my granddad absolutely hates dressing gowns so it’s become a family tradition for us to buy him one every year and it always makes me laugh.”

And Matt’s recipe for the perfect Christmas?

“Family; everyone happy, healthy and together with lots of food, presents and good TV. Oh and football on Boxing Day! I’m really hoping for a white Christmas but if I couldn’t have a traditional Christmas I’d spend it somewhere really warm like South America or Australia and have a barbecue on the beach.”

Interview with Claire Skinner

Claire plays Madge Arwell in the Doctor Who Christmas Special.

Who do you play in the Christmas Special?

I play a character called Madge Arwell who, first and foremost, is a mother. It just informs everything about her character. What I found attractive about the role is that she’s warm and a thoroughly decent woman, as well as being quite straight down the line. In the episode she gets tested and challenged and it’s interesting to see how she handles different things and adapts to various situations for the sake of her children.

What was it like working with Matt Smith?

Lovely! A really nice experience. He’s thoroughly charming, good fun and has loads of energy.

What about the other guest stars?

I’ve worked with Alexander Armstrong before, so it was great to see him again. We’ve actually been fishing together! Bill Bailey is just completely brilliant; a really nice, natural and funny bloke. And the children as well. Maurice and Holly were just delightful, completely lovely.

Are you a fan of Doctor Who?

Yes for several reasons actually. My son watches it, my husband has directed it before and my father in-law was in an episode. It’s a nice connection to have.

How did it feel being cast in such an iconic show?

I was very excited to be in it, both because it’s Doctor Who and also a great script. When I got the call I was like “Yay, at last I’m going to be in Doctor Who.”

How did you find filming on location?

We shot some scenes outside in a public space and it was an unusual experience acting in front of huge crowds of people who had come to watch. I had to drive a car down the road, which took about 500 takes, and they applauded my driving each time. It was lovely, but I hadn’t been quite ready for that.

What do you think is the scariest Doctor Who monster of all time?

It’s not exactly a monster, but the creepy people in the gas masks in series one were pretty scary. They definitely freaked both my children out at the time.

What will you be doing on Christmas day?

I will be with my family and my husband’s family; a traditional Christmas. We’ll of course be watching Doctor Who.

What other Christmas TV do you like?

I like traditional comedy; I’m such a fan of Morecambe and Wise. We’ve got the box set, so we always get that out at Christmas.

Interview with Alexander Armstrong

An interview with Alexander Armstrong who plays Reg Arwel in the Doctor Who Christmas Special.

What can you reveal about your character?

I play Reg Arwell, who is a bomber pilot in the Second World War. We witness him flying over the channel and all the navigation equipment completely stops working. It doesn’t look good for him! His wife Madge then receives a slip of paper saying that a ‘Reg’ is missing and presumed dead. Their two children hope that their Daddy is going to be back for Christmas and that’s when the Doctor gets involved to return a favour to Madge as she helps him out at the very beginning of the episode.

Did you enjoy working with your co-stars?

Amazing. Lovely to work with Claire Skinner again, I did a drama with her called Life Begins a couple of years ago. But the real treat was working with Matt, who’s just a tremendously fine fellow and an excellent person to hang out on set with. As you can imagine, there’s an awful lot of time between takes and I can think of few nicer people to spend time with than Matt.

Doctor Who will soon be celebrating its 50th anniversary. Are you a fan?

It’s something I’ve always wanted to be in and there really isn’t another show like Doctor Who. The heritage of it is amazing and when the BBC got it going again it suddenly took on a whole new life. It has all the charm and ingenuity of the first incarnation but it also has Russell and now Steven’s really current TV brains behind it, people who are so literate in really good television that gets you thinking. With Christopher, David and now Matt, this Doctor Who has kind of gone nuts. I mean my Doctor Who when I was young was Tom Baker, I loved Tom Baker, everyone did, but the Doctor these days has taken on a sort of rock star status.

Did you enjoy filming in Cardiff?

Brilliant, it was lovely. It was a fantastic journey out of Cardiff down to the studio – a really beautiful part of Wales. We filmed in an amazing Victorian castle looking right out on the Gower peninsular. It was absolutely stunning.

What will you be doing on Christmas day?

Entertaining children, trying to keep a lid on sugary treats and desperately rationing presents because our children got high on them last year. Also, we will of course be watching Doctor Who. I really hope it’s another cold Christmas; I loved the cold winter last year. A bit of snow and a bit of sledging – it’ll be great.

Doctor Who: Stephen Moffat Introduces the Doctor Who Christmas Special, Interviews with Stars Inside is a post from: Anglotopia.net

The BBC has released a prequel clip of the 2011 Doctor Who Christmas Special called The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe which you can watch below.

Avoid watching it if you want to go into the special blind.

Looks exciting and it has sure got my interest!

The Christmas Special will aire both in the UK and the USA on Christmas day (check local listings)

Doctor Who: Watch the Prequel Clip for The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe Now – 2011 Christmas Special is a post from: Anglotopia.net

The BBC has released its first trailer for it’s 2011 Christmas specials. The trailer preview includes clips from Doctor Who, Great Expectations as well as all the other major specials this year.

See the whole BBC Christmas line-up here.

BBC Christmas Trailer 2011

Video: BBC Releases Trailer for their 2011 Christmas Specials – Doctor Who is a post from: Anglotopia.net

The centrepiece of this year’s BBC One Christmas schedule is Sarah Phelps’s (Oliver Twist, EastEnders) bold new three-part adaptation of Great Expectations starring Ray Winstone, Gillian Anderson, David Suchet and Douglas Booth.

Great Expectations 2011 Christmas Special – Interview with Ray Winstone & Gillian Anderson is a post from: Anglotopia.net

We’re still quite a few days from the Downton Abbey Christmas Special but we thought we’d roundup everything we know about it for those that are interested.

If you have haven’t seen Series 2 of Downton Abbey (those in the USA will have to wait) will want to avoid reading this.

First off ITV has announced when the Christmas special will air on Christmas Day at 9:00pm and will air for 90 minutes (with commercials). We believe the Christmas special will be packaged with the US airing as just another episode so American audiences will see it at the end of season two airing on PBS.

ITV has also released some plot details:

Christmas episode of the acclaimed period drama series starring Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern. It is Christmas 1919, and Downton Abbey is hosting a lavish Christmas party, yet despite it being the season of goodwill, tensions are rife and the arrest of Bates (Brendan Coyle, pictured centre) has cast a shadow over the festivities. Will he be a condemned man or will he be found innocent in time to dance with his new wife at the annual servants’ ball? Mary (Michelle Dockery) has to consider her future with Sir Richard Carlisle (Iain Glen) following a contretemps at the shooting party and Violet (Smith) has concerns about Rosamund (Samantha Bond), whose new suitor – the dashing but raffish Lord Hepworth (Nigel Havers) – is not all he seems. Since the very first episode pulled in an audience of over nine million in September 2010, Downton Abbey has rapidly established itself as a broadcasting phenomenon. It is the most successful British costume drama since Brideshead Revisited in 1981 and has won numerous awards, including a Bafta for director Brian Percival and a Broadcasting Press Guild Award for writer and creator Julian Fellowes.

Sounds like  a wonderful special! We can’t wait!

Downton Abbey 2011 Christmas Special Details Roundup – SPOILERS!!! is a post from: Anglotopia.net

The BBC has announced the air date for the Top Gear Christmas special – it will air on December 28th at 8pm on BBC2 and BBCHD. It will be a 90 minute long show.

No word yet as to when it will air in the USA – but will probably be next year sometime.

One of the Top Gear producers released some tidbits from the special on the official Top Gear Blog – here’s an excerpt:

The backbone of the Top Gear specials has always been the toughness of the challenge, from the frozen North Pole to the desolate salt pans of Botswana to the jungles and mountains of South America. But, this year, we’ve taken on our biggest challenge of all: sorting out the British economy.

Let me explain. A few months ago, Mr Cameron said our nation must become a favoured trading partner of India: currently, we do more business with Ireland than with this country of 1.2 billion people. Top Gear, we thought, could help solve this problem with a trade mission, flying the flag for UKPLC. Our plan was to drive across India, drumming up interest in British goods, advertising the peerless standards of British skills, British nous, British Britishness. We would make the Indians think: “No, we shall not buy mayonnaise from Belgium, but Angel Delight and Kendal Mint Cake from the British.”

So we thought we’d spend a bit more and buy three cars that represented the best of British. With their budget of seven grand each, Jeremy and Richard excelled themselves, Jezza picking up a 1995 Jaguar XJS 4.0-litre – the Celebration edition, no less – and Richard buying a tidy Mini Cooper.

But James, in his OCD idiocy, decided he wanted a Rolls-Royce. Unfortunately, the only Rolls-Royce you can buy for seven grand is a 1976 Silver Shadow…

Source.

Sounds awesome – we can’t wait!

Top Gear: BBC Announces Air Date for Top Gear Christmas Special and Releases more Details is a post from: Anglotopia.net

The BBC and BBC America have confirmed the airdate and airtime of the upcoming Doctor Who Christmas Special.

The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe will air in the UK on BBC One at 7:00pm on Christmas Day.

The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe will air in the USA on BBC America at 8:00pm on Christmas Day.

We can’t wait!

Doctor Who: BBC and BBC America Confirm Air Times for 2011 Doctor Who Christmas Special is a post from: Anglotopia.net

The BBC has released a rather creative look at their holiday season for BBC One. You won’t find any footage from their upcoming 2011 Christmas Specials, but you’ll find Karen Gillan and Matt Smith playing Twister with a Cyberman, among other amusing vignettes set to song.

Check it out below!

Christmas 2011: BBC One Releases Fun Video Preview of their Holiday Lineup is a post from: Anglotopia.net

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOCTOR WHO!

It was 48 years ago this week that Doctor Who premiered on television and changed our lives forever. With that in mind let’s look back at the first story, An Unearthly Child!

I of course was not around then, nor would I discover the program until almost two decades later, but to those who watched the first episode there was some magical and special being offered in this ‘kids’ program.

I wanted to frame this in cultural context. However, I only know one person who actually saw An Unearthly Child and Season One of the classic series when it aired in realtime. That is my pal Lance Buckley, a former BBC employee and UK expat who now lives in Virginia. He has been a panelist on Doctor Who at Dragoncon. I bothered him about this for a quick interview!

Where were you when you first saw An Unearthly Child? 

Lemme see.. I was almost 6. So it’s possible I was living in London by  that time. Later on, my mother would take my brother Chris into the  kitchen to bake little cakes as they were both pretty scared by it (Doctor Who).  Chris was a classic “behind the couch” viewer when the Daleks arrived.

Did you know that Doctor Who would be successful after you saw the first story?

At that age, you just know what you like and expect to see it next week,  and I was already a Sci-Fi fan by then, having been hooked by Blue Peter’s “Bleep and Booster”.

Why did you keep watching?

I was a precocious child. By (age) 6 I was quite capable of comprehending concepts such as time travel. Why did I watch? The same reason we all do to this day. I want to be his companion and this is the closest we’ll ever get.

Did you like Hartnell’s portrayal of The Doctor?

He was intimidating. You never liked Hartnell’s Doctor. You respected him.

What was the public reception of Dr. Who like at that time?

If memory serves, it was forgettable, though it didn’t take too long to get a following. I was never able to talk to friends about it as they either didn’t watch it or didn’t understand it. That changed after a while.

This gives you an insight into what it was like for six year olds in the UK, both sitting on and hiding behind the couch in 1963. But what about the first episode itself?

With An Unearthly Child there’s a lot going on with both the episode itself and the times it breathed in, November of 1963. Doctor Who came along at a time when the United Kingdom needed a break from the shock and terror of the JFK assassination while the BBC needed a SF series.

The BBC wanted a TV show for kids that involved history and science fiction. They also needed something fresh and different since TV climate of that era was in danger of becoming stale. Hence Doctor Who stepped into the breach.

Episode One of Doctor Who debuted inauspiciously at 5:16 pm on November, 23rd, 1963 and was subsequently re-shown later when episode one was re-screened before the start of episode two. It attracted 4.4 million viewers with subsequent episodes getting better audience numbers. 

An Unearthly Child is interestingly enough, just the title of the first episode. However the title has also been used as the blanket title for the four episodes. Also, several script rewrites were done and a pilot had previously been shot. As a result  some changes were made in the story by the time Episode One went on the air.

An Unearthly Child serves as the launching point for the show and the template for Season One, introducing The Doctor (played by William Hartnell) and his TARDIS to Barbara Hill (Jacqueline Hill) and Ian Chesterton (William Russel), two teachers from Coal Hill School who are magically thrown into time and space after they enter a phone box while following a gifted but mysterious pupil named Susan Foreman (Carole Ann Ford). When they meet her ‘grandfather’ things get weird.

This is where the First Doctor comes in. He’s grumpy, ill-tempered, protective and mysterious. He clearly wants no part of taking on human companions and has has own agenda.  We surmise pretty quickly that he is in exile and on the run from something.

Looking back now the first episode asked so many questions that remain unanswered. Why is he on the run? Was he hiding from something? Why we he and Susan in London for 5 months? Were they really there that long?  Is he really her Grandfather? But the prevailing question of that time still haunts us today, unanswered, Who is The Doctor?

Episode One is fueled by a sense of uneasy trust. These four strangers must come together since they will be stuck with each other for some time. Hartnell’s Doctor at times likes and then dislikes his new passengers. He is both bemused and annoyed by them. These two things play out more as Season One continues. Yet this is where Hartnell let’s The Doctor’s fascination for humanity percolate.

Once the TARDIS begins to travel through time and space it becomes clearer that, although curious, Barbara and Ian are not willing partners in this endeavor and desperately want to return to there own time.

The three remaining episodes of the story are basically a Stone Age romp where different communities of cavemen duke it out to discover fire. But these episodes should not be dismissed since they set up the dynamics of the companion/Doctor relationship and offer us our first look at Hartnell’s stamp on the role. They also show us what the show was going to be about and what it wanted to do.

From a script standpoint it is interesting that the show was driven by what was not onscreen. The information not given, the implied facts are all a slight of hand of sorts to keep viewers guessing (a device that still is used today). That’s why there is an eerie teetering and tottering going on in An Unearthly Child that is so compelling to watch. The physical script itself was not terrific so a lot of  these implied details really stemmed from fleshing out the script and developing characters.

Upon hindsight it is obvious that one of the reasons why the show took off out of the gate was because William Russell and Jacqueline Hill did such a great job of playing the roles of strangers in a strange land. Their portrayals seem genuine and sincere. This is vital because if they were not likable from the start then the show was doomed.

Almost fifty years later, Ian and Barbara are still beloved characters by fans of the classic series. The onscreen chemistry between the two seems unforced and easy. These were two actors who seamlessly fell into their characters and played well off of each other.

I also love how Ian instantly becomes a solid companion. I’d eventually warm up to Barbara and think the two of them really set a bar for companions still used as a measuring stick today. They gave the Doctor a moral focus and pressed him ethically, two points which are still pivotal for companions in the new series.

Carole Ann Ford had a tough go of it because she was really twenty three and had to suddenly become a hipster teen in this debuting program. The scenes with Susan and the Doctor have a warmth and charm to them that are nice breaks from the tension of this episode.

Here are some other things I enjoyed about An Unearthly Child…

With regard to the opening credits. I imagine that in 1963 they were really something fresh and special. Nothing like them had been seen before and they do a lot to establish an otherworldly effect to the series.

Even though the theme remains iconic almost five decades later, when you hear it here you cannot help but get giddy knowing it was the first time it was heard by the public.

The TARDIS itself has never been more minimal as a set but so complex as an idea. They had to make it work for the viewer and they did. Revealing at the end of An Unearthly Child that The Doctor didn’t really know how to fly his TARDIS was a masterstroke for expanding the narrative and keeping things uneasy. Incidentally, the tech crew of that period went nuts making it work properly all the time.

William Hartnell. As you watch him here you can see the wheels turning for where he wants to go with te role. I think he had to dial it back a few notches from what he wanted to do, but his performance has the gravitas necessary from your lead to propel the show. I love how the Doctor is not really a likable chap at first. Viewers have to suss him out to see what he’s on about.

In 1963,  Hartnell had a reputation as a film and stage actor who was known for playing heavies. He appeared in Dad’s Army and is excellent in the film version of Brighton Rock. His appearing in a children’s program was a way for him to break out of that mold and explore other roles. He had no idea what he was in for.

As Doctor Who blows out more candles on the birthday cake, fans can be glad that the series first episode survived a script crisis, technical issues and the looming presence of history in motion that was the JFK assassination to get on the air.

One thing is for sure, very few people at the BBC expected Doctor Who to run past its thirteen slotted episodes, much less go on to become the cultural icon that it remains 48 years later!

ECCLESTON GETS AN EMMY

Christopher Eccleston has won an International Emmy. The former Time Lord was named Best Actor for his work in BBC One’s drama Accused. The program also was named Best Drama.

As previously reported, Eccleston is currently on location filming The Fuse.

SEASON SEVEN FILMING

Matt Smith was a guest on BBC Breakfast this week discussing the DVD release of Season Six, the upcoming season of Dr. Who, Steven Moffat’s Birthday party, how David Tennant is enjoying his run on the show, how he met 5th Doctor, Peter Davison and Children In Need.

Amongst the interesting facts revealed were…

Filming for fourteen episodes beings in February, this includes all of Season Seven, a Christmas Special.

He confirmed a 50th Anniversary Special would be filmed.

It took him 3 days to find the right costume.

THE DOCTOR, THE WIDOW & THE WARDROBE

In case you had not heard, the 2011 Christmas Special has now been named. It is called, The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe.

The BBC has released promo pictures for the story.

Here is the BBC Synopsis for the episode!

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…

Madge Arwell is played by Claire Skinner, Lily Arwell by Holly Earl and Cyril Arwell by Maurice Cole.

MARK SHEPPARD ON WHO

Versatile actor Mark Sheppard spoke wiuth Stuff, new Zealand aoubt his career and Dr. Who. The full interview can be seen here…

http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/blogs/on-the-box/5959115/Mark-Sheppard-on-sci-fi-acting-and-more

He also spoke about appearing in Doctor Who!

Steven very definitely – I think I read an article where [he said] he was under some pressure to create a gay character who wasn’t mincing around the screen. I mean, no disrespect to Captain Jack or anyone else at all, I’m being extreme in my stereotype, but I’m saying to have a character where being gay wasn’t the singular identifier of the character, where the primary focus of the character is not what he’s doing about being gay. I’m sure it’s a large part of Canton’s life, and a part of his back story as well, but it was fascinating that Steven was interviewed on why he’d picked Canton to be this way. But what I think is more interesting about Canton, is that I think Canton really represents us – it’s what we would do, so Canton becomes the ultimate fan, in a way.

“A kid came up to me in a convention and said ‘you know, Canton is the second-smartest man in the room’, and I said ‘really, why is that?’ He said ‘because he realises that the doctor is the smartest man in the room’ – and I always thought was a very good way to put it. It’s what we would do – and it’s an interesting process by which Canton develops his attempts to understand what the Doctor actually comes for and what he’s doing, using Rory as a sounding board. I’m sure Canton would be curious to see whether it was something the CIA had known all along, him being in the FBI.

 SEASON SIX CD NEWS

The track listing for the latest Doctor Who soundtrack from Murray Gold has been released!

The two disc soundtrack features tracks from each story and is available on December 19th.

The soundtracks are always a real treat and Murray Gold’s work continues to drive the new series.

Next Time…Who knows….

Doctor Whooligan: An Unearthly Child, Eccleston Gets An Emmy, Matt Smith On Season Seven, Christmas Special Pics, Season Six CD Info is a post from: Anglotopia.net