Doctor Who - Series 8 DVD Launch Panel Highlights

Doctor Who Moving To Later Regular Time Slot

The BBC have decided to move Doctor Who from 7:30 PM to the later time of 8:30 PM.  This was the plan all along once Strictly Come Dancing returns.   The time change will happen on September 27th and will remain the time slot till the end of Series 8.  Here is what a BBC Insider had to say.

“It’s always been the plan for this series of Doctor Who to follow Strictly, once Strictly started, in the same way that Atlantis and previously Merlin did, as this series is on air in the autumn,”

This will be the latest the show has been aired and Doctor Who has been creeping away over time from its Saturday tea time slot where families generally watch it and mainly the younger kids.  The BBC had this to say.

"Viewing levels are still high at that time amongst young audiences and children and Doctor Who has always generated very high levels of recorded playback and iPlayer viewing so lots of children and families already choose a time that suits them over the days that follow."

So whether you like it or not Doctor Who will be on later in the UK a half hour earlier than when it is shown in the US and Canada who both air Doctor Who at 9PM on Saturday night.

Source: Radio Times

Doctor Who - Synopsis For Listen

The BBC Have released the official synopsis for the third story of Series 8 "Listen".  It airs next Saturday September 6th.

What happens when the Doctor is alone? And what scares the grand old man of Time and Space? Listen! 

Written by Steven Moffat / directed by Douglas MacKinnon

Doctor Who - A Familiar Location Reused In Series 8 Finale

The BBC have tweeted out that The Cybermen will return to St. Paul's Cathedral the same place that The Invasion was filmed during Patrick Troughton's last season back in 1968.  Now who knows what this all means as this could be a coincidence but it is pretty cool seeing the classic image re-imagined for the new series.  Here is the official tweet from the BBC.

#DoctorWho A metal moment revisited… pic.twitter.com/5ZLCDeE9Dm
— Doctor Who Official (@bbcdoctorwho) July 19, 2014

Doctor Who - BBC Worldwide Update On Doctor Who Leaks

BBC Worldwide has issued a statement thanking fans and websites for not posting the leaked scripts and episodes.  It also goes and says that disciplinary action has been taking against those resposible and they also issued an apology to Steven Moffat and crew.  You can read the full release below.

We would like to thank Doctor Who fans everywhere for their amazing efforts in helping us contain the recent leaks.

 The mistake was damaging and resulted in the exposure of five scripts and the first six unfinished episodes from Series 8 on a publicly accessible FTP site.  While there is still a risk that this leak will result in more of this content emerging, so far the impact has been contained to a limited amount of this material through a combination of fans efforts and the plan that we put in place using new technology and internal manpower to limit any illegal activity.

 We would particularly like to thank the fansite moderators and Doctor Who devotees who have actively protected the programme.

BBC Worldwide has taken this issue extremely seriously and disciplinary action has been implemented as a result of the incident.

Our sincere apologies again to Steven Moffat, the cast and production team who toil long hours to make the show in Cardiff, the BBC, and of course the fans who expect so much better. 

BBC Worldwide

Doctor Who - Official Full Length Series 8 Trailer

Here is the first trailer that was shown during halftime during the World Cup broadcast on BBC One.  Looks promising.

Doctor Who - Sanjeev Bhaskar Cast In Series 8

The BBC Media Centre has reported that Sanjeev Bhaskar has been cast in Series 8 of Doctor Who.  No news on what type of character he will be playing but I'm sure we will find out soon enough.  Here is the official press release.

Popular comedian, actor and broadcaster Sanjeev Bhaskar is to join the cast of Doctor Who when the series returns to BBC One on 23 August.

Speaking about the role, Bhaskar said: “I’m thrilled to have made a small contribution to and now be part of the Doctor Who universe. Another dream box ticked!”

Steven Moffat, lead writer and Executive Producer, says: “I’m completely thrilled that Sanjeev Bhaskar is coming to the aid of the Doctor. The danger is never deadlier than in a finale episode, and the Time Lord is going to need all the help he can get!”

Filming is well underway for Series 8 of Doctor Who. Guest stars confirmed to join Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman in the new series include Michelle Gomez, Frank Skinner, Ben Miller, Tom Riley, Keeley Hawes and Hermione Norris.

Doctor Who - Michelle Gomez To Guest Star In Series 8

 

The BBC have announced that Michelle Gomez will be guest starring in Series 8 of Doctor Who and in fact could be in the 12th episode of series 8. Also in the official picture is an old enemy of The Doctor as we see that The Cybermen will be returning in Series 8.  Here is the official press release from the BBC Media Centre.

Michelle Gomez (Bad Education, Green Wing) will join the cast of Doctor Who, playing the Gatekeeper of the Nethersphere when the series returns on 23 August.

Speaking about the role, Michelle Gomez said: "Well of course Peter Capaldi is our next Doctor, which makes complete sense. I'm thrilled to join him. Well, you would be wouldn't you?"

Lead writer and executive producer, Steven Moffat, added: “I've known Michelle for years, and I'm thrilled to welcome her to Doctor Who. She's everything we need - brilliant, Scottish, and a tiny bit satanic.”

Filming is well underway for Series 8 of Doctor Who. Guest stars confirmed to join Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman in the new series, which will air on BBC One this Autumn include Frank Skinner, Ben Miller, Tom Riley, Keeley Hawes and Hermione Norris.

Doctor Who - Pop Singer Foxes To Appear In Series 8 of Doctor Who

The BBC today have announced that pop singer Foxes has been cast in series 8 of Doctor Who.  Who? Yes, exactly as not many of us will know who she is. In fact she has apparently won a Grammy so I guess I'm out of touch with recent pop music.  You mean the Go Go's have broken up when did this happen?  But in all seriousness she will be performing a song on the show also.  Here is the complete press release from the BBC Media Centre.

Doctor Who Series 8 Opening by Neon Visual

Pretty good opening and probably going to be better than what the BBC will use

Doctor Who Series 8 - A New Direction Possibly Coming

Steven Moffat has been making the rounds and has been suggesting that a change is coming for Doctor Who.  Besides the obvious of the new Doctor Peter Capaldi Steven Moffat has suggested that the show tone needs to go in a different direction than what we have all known from the previous series. Here is what Steven Moffat has to say about it.

"It changes all the time, and it's keeping ahead of the audience in a way. All shows age and they all age sort of in the same way. You learn how to do it, you get really slick at it, and then you think you're really, really slick at it and everyone's started to yawn. And you think 'oh God, we're really slick at this but everyone knows what we're going to do.
So now we've got to actually get a bit raw at it and do it in a different direction. It happens on every show – you get good at it and 'good at it' is the enemy in the end."

“If Russell had stayed on, [Doctor Who] would still have changed. I remember when we had our handover chat, he was saying, ‘so what are you going to do? Are you going to change that?’ And I said, ‘well, what would you change?’ and we both agreed, ‘it’s time to kick a lot of stuff out’. And, actually, it is time again to do that.”

Lets hope the tone of the show changes as the way it is now has gotten a bit stale and a change of direction will be good.  My hope is that they return to the Gothic type of stories they did during the first four seasons of Tom Baker.
Source: IO9 & Kasterborous

Doctor Who - Let The Peter Capaldi Era Begin!!!

A Tweet from Doctor Who Official has announced that Peter Capaldi has completed his first read through as The Doctor.  Which means that filming will be beginning soon on Series 8.  But first we must say farewell to Matt Smith next week when we see our first glimpse of the new Doctor.

Peter Capaldi has just completed his first read through as the Doctor! A new era of #DoctorWho is coming, but first http://t.co/aC6gmSQb1h

— Doctor Who Official (@bbcdoctorwho) December 17, 2013