Goodbye to 12 - The Husbands of River Song Review

We celebrate the Peter Capaldi era by revisiting the 12th Doctor's adventures as we count down the days to his last adventure.

Doctor Who:
The Husbands of River Song
By Steven Moffat

“Every night is the last night for something. Every Christmas is the last Christmas.”

The Doctor Who Christmas Specials have been hit or miss throughout the shows revival and now we look at the 11th Christmas Special and the 6th out of 8 that Steven Moffat has written.  While the Christmas Specials are supposed to be light hearted and fun we have had some that have been darker and taken a more serious tone like The Snowmen and A Christmas Carole both written by Moffat.  I tend to like the stories that take a more serious tone and keep the silliness to a minimum.  So when it was announced that River Song will be making her appearance in this year’s Christmas story I had some reservations about The Husbands of River Song. 

Doctor Who - Details For Doom Coalition Vol 2

Out this month is the next chapter in the popular 8th Doctor box set Doom Coalition.  The story continues and this time he runs into River Song.  This box set can be purchased from the Big Finish website. https://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/doom-coalition-2-1222

2.1 Beachhead by Nicholas Briggs

In an attempt to recharge his batteries after his confrontation with the Eleven, the Doctor takes Liv and Helen to the sleepy English seaside village of Stegmoor. But they find the village in turmoil and, to make matters worse, their arrival uncovers a mystery from the Doctor’s past which threatens the future safety of the planet. Can the Doctor prevent the Voord from invading Earth? And more importantly why have they come in the first place?

2.2 Scenes from Her Life by John Dorney

Investigating the appearance of the Voord on Earth, the Doctor, Liv and Helen follow a trail which takes them to the other side of the universe. There they discover a mysterious and almost deserted gothic city lost in space and time, in which the grotesque inhabitants are conducting a vile and inhumane experiment. The Doctor and his companions must hurry to save the lives of those in danger before the experiment is a success and the unimaginable consequences become all too real.

2.3 The Gift by Marc Platt

The TARDIS deposits its crew on Earth in San Francisco, 1906. There they find an actor-manager desperate to stage his definitive production of King Lear. But a real storm is headed their way when he becomes the possessor of a mysterious psychic ‘Gift’ which is hungry for power and intent on wreaking havoc and destruction. But exposure to so much psychic activity has the Doctor becoming increasingly erratic. Can he battle his demons and save the world?

2.4 The Sonomancer by Matt Fitton

On the other side of the galaxy a mining company is exploiting the already unstable planet of Syra for every precious mineral it contains. River Song is attempting to save the native people. She needs the Doctor’s help, but she also knows he mustn’t yet discover her true identity. The final confrontation sees the Doctor once again face his enemy the Eleven in an attempt to prevent the destruction of Syra and the genocide of its inhabitants.

Written By: Nicholas Briggs, John Dorney, Marc Platt, Matt Fitton
Directed By: Ken Bentley

Cast
Paul McGann (The Doctor), Nicola Walker (Liv Chenka), Hattie Morahan (Helen Sinclair), Alex Kingston (River Song), Rebecca Night (Matilda Gregson), Julia Hills (Phillipa Gregson/Dispatch), Kirsty Besterman (Ishtek/Lilly), Andrew Dickens (Voord Guard/Police Sergeant/Mr Rogers), Emma Cunniffe (Caleera), Vincent Franklin (Lord Stormblood), Jacqueline King (Lady Sepulchra), Hamish Clark (Swordfish), James Jordan (Charles Virgil McLean), Paul Marc Davis (Pepé Gonzalez), Cory English (Sam Sonora), Laura Harding (Ethel Halliday/Mariam), Enzo Squillino Jnr (Aldo Deluca), Derek Ezenagu (Ruslan/Ivo), Janet Fullerlove (Yeva/Wife), John Banks (Husband/Guard/Mineworker/Galactic Heritage/Shopkeeper) and Mark Bonnar as The Eleven.

Producer David Richardson
Script Editor Ken Bentley
Executvie Producers Jason Haigh-Ellery and Nicholas Briggs

Doctor Who Magazine 495 Cover and Details

Out today is the latest Doctor Who Magazine and the cover has Alex Kingston on it where she is interviewed about her Big Finish audio adventure release for River Song.  Below is all the details of this months magazine.

The new issue of Doctor Who Magazine finds out what happens when River Song runs into the Eighth Doctor in the new audio series The Diary of River Song – and interviews both Paul McGann and Alex Kingston who says 

River has to interact with the Eighth Doctor to save him, to help him. When she’s figured out how she can do that without having to be physically present in front of him, alongside helping him, she can then tease and flirt a little bit, because she knows she’s safe, and she knows she hasn’t overstepped a boundary, or changed his or her future in any way by that actual physical interaction. So she can then have fun! She’s in control.

And what does the Eighth Doctor make of River?

What the Doctor says to River when he realises her acumen, her calibre, is ‘Wow, hang on a minute – where did you pick up all this?! For an amateur, you ain’t half clever'. He says, ‘Any time you fancy joining me, I could always do with a pair of hands’. He realises, almost instantly, how clever she is. ‘If you’re ever stuck for a trip round the universe helping me out, you’re on.’ So there’s that lovely playfulness as well. Of course, he’s doing it in blissful ignorance. And she’s trying not to appear too clever, and give the game away, but of course she has to save his life. So it’s great. It’s childish, but it’s great fun.

ALSO INSIDE ISSUE 495...

ASK STEVEN MOFFAT
Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat answers readers questions about the recent episode Heaven Sent – and find out whether the Doctor ever had to run around the castle naked.

THE DRAGON LORD
The latest comic strip adventure continues with Part 2 of The Dragon Lord, written by Steve Lyons, with art from Adrian Salmon.

CEREAL KILLERS
Doctor Who fans of the 1970s will get nostalgic, as we take a trip down memory lane and meet the artist behind Weetabix’s series of artwork cards, which were launched in 1975, and given away with packets of breakfast cereal.

THE ELEVENTH HOUR APPROACHES
The Time Team returns to watch the first adventure of the Eleventh Doctor – The Eleventh Hour. What will they make of the new Doctor, Amy Pond and Prisoner Zero?

WREAKING HAVOC
A tribute to stuntman Derek Ware, who worked on Doctor Who during its first decade, and has recently passed away at the age of 77.

THE EXXILON FACTOR
The Fact of Fiction takes an in-depth look at the 1974 Third Doctor adventure Death to the Daleks.

THE DWM REVIEW
DWM reviews the recent Christmas Special, The Husbands of River Song. We also take a look at the latest books and audio and revisit 1968’s The Wheel in Space and 1977’s The Face of Evil.

THE DWM SEASON SURVEY!
Vote for your favourites of the most recent series, plus the book and audio releases from the past 12 months!

PLUS! All the latest official news, previews of upcoming releases, competitions, the answers to The Watcher’s Fiendishly Festive Christmas Quiz, The DWM Crossword and much more!

Doctor Who Magazine 495 is on sale from Thursday 7 January 2016, price £4.99.

Doctor Who - The Husbands of River Song Review (Some Spoilers)

Doctor Who:
The Husbands of River Song
By Steven Moffat

“Every night is the last night for something. Every Christmas is the last Christmas.”

The Doctor Who Christmas Specials have been hit or miss throughout the shows revival and now we have the 11th Christmas Special and the 6th one that Steven Moffat has written.  While the Christmas Specials are supposed to be light hearted and fun we have had some that have been darker and taken a more serious tone like The Snowmen and A Christmas Carole both written by Moffat.  I tend to like the stories that take a more serious tone and keep the silliness to a minimum.  So when it was announced that River Song will be making her appearance in this year’s Christmas story I had some reservations about The Husbands of River Song.  

Doctor Who - Christmas Special 2015: Alex Kingston Interview

We have three interviews from the BBC Media Centre for the 2015 Doctor Who Christmas Special The Husbands of River Song.  Up now Alex Kingston.

What was it like to come back?
I was quite surprised when I was asked to come back, but I was happy to because I just thought it would be great fun. It’s such a great character, she’s become so beloved by lots of fans and I’ve had them saying it would be so great for her to come back and to see her interacting with Peter Capaldi’s Doctor. I was actually thrilled when Steven decided he wanted to explore that too.

What did you think of the script?

Doctor Who - Introduction to The Husbands of River Song

Doctor Who - Two New Promo Pics For "The Husbands of River Song"

New Doctor Who Christmas Special Trailer From BBC America

Doctor Who - Trailers For "The Husbands of River Song"

Doctor Who - More Promo Pics For "The Husbands of River Song"

Doctor Who - Promo Pics For "The Husbands of River Song"

Doctor Who - Christmas Special Title and Synopsis Revealed

The BBC have released a promo picture and a synopsis for this years Christmas Special which is titled "The Husbands of River Song."  The special will air at 9PM on Christmas Day on BBC America and rumored to be at 5:15 PM on BBC One.

It’s Christmas Day on a remote human colony and the Doctor is hiding from Christmas Carols and Comedy Antlers. But when a crashed spaceship calls upon the Doctor for help, he finds himself recruited into River Song’s squad and hurled into a fast and frantic chase across the galaxy. King Hydroflax (Greg Davies) is furious, and his giant Robot bodyguard is out-of-control and coming for them all! Will Nardole (Matt Lucas) survive? And when will River Song work out who the Doctor is? 

All will be revealed on a starliner full of galactic super-villains and a destination the Doctor has been avoiding for a very long time.

Doctor Who - New Christmas Special Promo Pic and Synopsis

The BBC have released a promo pic and a synopsis for this years Christmas Special which airs surprisingly enough on Christmas Day but of course no air time given by the BBC.

It’s Christmas Day on a remote human colony and the Doctor is hiding from Christmas Carols and Comedy Antlers. But when a crashed spaceship calls upon the Doctor for help, he finds himself recruited into River Song’s squad and hurled into a fast and frantic chase across the galaxy.  

King Hydroflax (Greg Davies) is furious, and his giant Robot bodyguard is out-of-control and coming for them all! Will Nardole (Matt Lucas) survive? And when will River Song work out who the Doctor is?  

All will be revealed on a starliner full of galactic super-villains and a destination the Doctor has been avoiding for a very long time.

Doctor Who - River Song To Return For 2015 Christmas Special

Looks like River Song will be back in this years Doctor Who Christmas Special.  With filming starting today the BBC have released this bit of information for this years Christmas Special. Alex Kingston will be bumping heads with Peter Capaldi's 12th Doctor for the first time and it could be something very different than their previous encounters.  Little is known about the Christmas Special at this time as they haven't released a synopsis or cast list just yet.  Here is the official press release.

Alex Kingston returns to Cardiff to reclaim her role as Professor River Song for the highly anticipated 2015 Doctor Who Christmas special, part of BBC One’s essential seasonal viewing. 

It’s Christmas Day in the future and the TARDIS is parked on a snowy village street, covered in icicles, awaiting its next adventure. Time traveller River Song meets her husband’s new incarnation, in the form of Peter Capaldi, for the first time this Christmas. 

Day one of filming the eleventh Doctor Who Christmas special starts this week and is written by Lead Writer and Executive Producer, Steven Moffat, produced by Nikki Wilson and directed by Douglas Mackinnon (Doctor Who, Sherlock).
River Song made her first Doctor Who appearance in 2008 in ‘Silence in the Library’ and ‘Forest of the Dead’ and has appeared in 15 episodes to date. 

Award winning Alex Kingston comments on her reappearance, “To be honest, I did not know whether River would ever return to the show, but here she is, back with the Doctor for the Christmas special. Steven Moffat is on glittering form, giving us an episode filled with humour and surprise guest castings. I met Peter for the first time at Monday’s read through, we had a laugh, and I am now excited and ready to start filming with him and the Doctor Who team. Christmas in September? Why not!” 

Steven Moffat, Lead Writer and Executive Producer, adds, “Another Christmas, another special for Doctor Who - and what could be more special than the return of Alex Kingston as Professor River Song? The last time the Doctor saw her she was a ghost. The first time he met her, she died. So how can he be seeing her again? As ever, with the most complicated relationship in the universe, it’s a matter of time...” 

The witty line-up of guest cast joining Alex for a magical adventure on the TARDIS will be announced over the coming months. 

The BBC Cymru Wales produced drama will return to BBC One on Saturday, 19 September with a 12 episode series, followed by the Christmas special on Friday 25 December.

Doctor Who - Big Finish Reveals Details For The Diary of River Song Including A Husband

Big Finish has released the synopsis and guest stars for its upcoming 4 disc set The Diary of River Song.  We already know her future husband will make an appearance in this set when Paul McGann appears in the last story but we will be introduced to her first husband Mr Song played by  Samuel West.  You can pre order this set at the Big Finish website.
http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/the-diary-of-river-song-1313?range=113

An epic four-hour adventure that takes River Song across space and time, seeking out the secret rulers of the universe.

1. The Boundless Sea by Jenny T Colgan

Drawn out of self-imposed academic exile by an archelological dig, River crosses paths with British Consul Bertie Potts - leading to a secret buried in a lost tomb...

2. I Went to a Marvellous Party by Justin Richards

River is invited to the most exclusive gathering; right in the middle of Hyperspace! Hosts Gifford and Isabella hold a connection to the mysterious Rulers of the Universe; but with a murderer on board, is River too late to discover the truth?

3. Signs by James Goss

River is on the trail of mysterious, planet-killing SporeShips. Her only aid is a handsome time-travelling stranger with a connection to her future - her husband, Mr Song.

4. The Rulers of the Universe by Matt Fitton

The Eighth Doctor is drawn into events, as River must contend with a secret society and a face-off with an ancient alien force - with her future husband caught in the middle!

Written By: Jenny T Colgan, Justin Richards, James Goss, Matt Fitton
Directed By: Ken Bentley

Cast
Alex Kingston (River Song), Paul McGann (The Doctor), Alexander Vlahos (Bertie Potts), Alexander Siddig (Gifford), Imogen Stubbs (Isabella)  and Samuel West (Mr Song)

Doctor Who - Hello Sweetie!!! River Song and NuWho Arrive At Big Finish

With this new announcement it is surely only time until we get stories for the NuWho Doctors but in the meantime we have some NuWho monsters and friends of The Doctor.  The biggest announcement is that Alex Kingston will be reprising her role as River Song for Big Finish in two box sets.  The first is The River Song Diaries and the second is Doom Coalition 2 starring Paul McGann.  Doom Coalition 2 should be interesting as she must help The Doctor by not meeting him.  Winston Churchill will be getting a box set played again by Ian McNeice.  This NuWho version will recall his exploits with the 9th, 10th and 11th Doctors.  The next box set will feature Big Finish Classic Doctor's 5 to 8 facing off against some familiar NuWho villains.  Even though I don't understand how the Sontarrans are new.  Below is the synopsis for the box sets that will be out in 2016.
Full press release from Big Finish. http://www.bigfinish.com/news/v/bf27june

Doom Colilition 2

The Doctor’s past is catching up with him. And so is his future… As a dark chapter dawns for the universe, a friend is at hand. But how can River Song help the Doctor if she can’t meet him?

Directed By: Ken Bentley

Cast
Paul McGann (The Doctor), Alex Kingston (River Song), Nicola Walker (Liv Chenka), Hattie Morahan (Helen Sinclair)

Doctor Who - Alex Kingston To Appear At Rhode Island Comic Con

Appearing all three days at the Rhode Island Comic Con will be Alex Kingston.  She is the second Doctor Who guest announced for this convention that will be held November 6th to the 8th at the Rhode Island Convention Center and Dunkin Donut Center in Providence Rhode Island.  For more info visit the RICC website.
http://www.ricomiccon.com/

Doctor Who - Moffat On Capaldi's Doctor and A River Song Return

Well so much for a new direction as Steven Moffat has been mulling over bringing back Alex Kingston as River Song.  This new rumor is the latest for Series 8 but I can see it being held till Series 9 but you know Steven Moffat he likes to throw the kitchen sink into a series.  But anyway the news about what he has planned for the new Doctor and Clara seems to be interesting and that is always something to look forward to when the show returns in 2014.  Here is what the Moff has to say.

On The Doctor and Clara.

Now we're going to give her a Doctor who's not like that at all [The Eleventh Doctor], who's a much older, fiercer, madder, less reliable Doctor, who leads her a merry dance. And she's trying to keep him a secret and she's now working in a school...

On a River Song return.

 I'm slightly tempted, because I imagine Peter Capaldi and Alex Kingston would be absolutely hilarious together...

Source: IO9

Doctor Who - BBC America To Air Farewell To Matt Smith Before The Christmas Special

 

BBC America will be airing an hour long special before The Christmas Special "The Time of The Doctor".  It will consist of interviews and clips in this retrospective of the Matt Smith era.  The Documentary will be narrated by Alex Kingston who plays Professor River Song.  Doctor Who: Farewell Matt Smith will air on Christmas Day at 8PM.

Hello Sweety! Alex Kingston To Play Dinah Lance On Arrow!!!

Doctor Who star Alex Kingston has been tapped to play Laurel Lance mom and Detective Quentin's ex wife Dinah Lance in a recurring guest role on Arrow.  Comic book readers will know that Dinah Lance was the original Black Canary and well who knows if she will don the fishnet stockings.  Alex Kingston is the 3rd Actor from Doctor Who to appear on Arrow as Doctor Moon Colin Salmon plays Walter Steele and of course Captain Jack himself John Barrowmen plays Malcolm Merlyn. You can read the full article here.
http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/01/22/arrow-alex-kingston/

Source: EW.Com