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Tag: Nine

Confession #137: I’m Beyond Excited for New Big Finish

A couple of days ago, news crossed my various social media timelines that I had begun to despair of ever seeing for real: Christopher Eccleston has signed on with Big Finish to bring us more Ninth Doctor adventures! Given Eccleston’s well known reluctance to talk much about his time on the show, and outright resistance to the idea of returning, this news feels kissed with a touch of the miraculous.

According to the news item published on the Big Finish website, talks began between Big Finish executives and Eccleston at this year’s Gallifrey One convention. Since the former Doctor even got unexpected pressure (such as it was) from Radio Free Skaro‘s Steven Schapansky, I think it’s safe to say he got the idea that it’s something fans might actually want.

I can understand why he might not want to reprise the role. Although I believe him when he says he loved playing the Doctor, a bad work environment is going to leave a bad taste in anyone’s mouth. Having the corporate entity in charge of the franchise release a statement on one’s behalf—without consultation or agreement—that results in abuse from supposed fans leveled at one’s ailing, aged parent? That’s gonna be even harder to forgive.

But I think he’s finally had the opportunity to learn how very dearly Ninth Doctor fans hold him in our hearts. After so many bad experiences with those just looking to turn a quick buck, his entry into the convention circuit has put him face-to-face with those of us who adore his Doctor, and by proxy adore him for his performance.

I get the sense that we con attendees got to be the Whos of Whoville (how apropos) to Eccleston’s Grinch, showing him the true meaning of our abiding love for this show. That’s what I’m telling myself, anyway. I’d like to think that I am, in some small way, partly responsible for helping bring about this new collection of audio adventures.

So what can we expect? There will be four volumes in the new Ninth Doctor Adventures series, released May, August, and November 2021, and February 2022. Each volume is listed as four discs with a total length of 240 minutes. That likely means four hour-long adventures in each volume, but could mean three adventures and a special features disc.

As for supporting cast, that’s all still under wraps (or, more likely, not yet contracted). I’d be very surprised, though, if we don’t get Billie Piper back as Rose Tyler. During the Gallifrey One 2020 interview panel I alluded to above (in which Schapansky was the interviewer), Eccleston fielded a question about who his potential Companion(s) might be should he ever choose to return to the role in, say, audio format. He responded with, “Well, it could only ever be Rose.”

Given Eccleston’s own inclinations, then, and the fact that Piper has already reprised her role with Big Finish both alongside David Tennant (for three stories in The Tenth Doctor Adventures, Volume 2) and alongside Camille Coduri (Jackie Tyler) and Shawn Dingwall (Pete Tyler), I think there’s a high probability that they’ll get her for at least one of the four volumes of The Ninth Doctor Adventures. But we’ll have to wait to see for sure.

However it pans out, I believe it will be Fantastic.

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The 31 Flavours of Gallifrey One – Day Three

Contrary to the mellow vibe of most of the rest of my con schedule, Sunday started out more stressful than I’d have liked. Having briefly woken an hour before I was ready to get up, I then woke up an hour later than usual, which left me feeling pressed for time.(I had plenty, but try telling my brain that.) I got my morning blogging and language practice routine out of the way and had sufficient time to get nervous before I gave moderating a panel at Gally a go for the first time.

The panel, “A Doctor for Divided Times,” was about how the show, and the Doctor, have addressed “political” issues over the entire run. (Suffice to say that yes, Doctor Who has always been political.) I’m not really the best one to judge how it went, but a couple people told me it was a good panel and I did a good job as a moderator, so I’ll choose to believe the positive feedback. I might even volunteer to mod more in the future!

With the nerve-wracking part of my day out of the way, all I had left on my schedule was a long day in Program A. After an early lunch on the patio with my roommates before one of them had to leave to catch his flight, the other roommate and I spent some time in the Dealers Room. Since I’d decided on Saturday that I wasn’t going to sacrifice that many hours of my con to standing in line for an Eccleston autograph (which makes me sad, but Chris has told other attendees here that he plans to return to Gally, so I’ll cross my fingers for next time!), I had a little extra cash, and splurged on something I’d had my eye on.

Then we moved into Program A, where “Doctor Who Blu-Ray: Behind the Scenes” was just ending. We saw maybe five minutes of the panel before it was time for the next one (a screening of “The Daleks’ Master Plan, Episode 2: Color Edition”), and we took advantage of the break to move to better seats. They were well enough placed that we stayed there the rest of the day.

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Confession #130: I Miss the Ninth Doctor

About two weeks ago, Gallifrey One, my convention of choice, announced that their headliner guest for 2020 will be none other than the Ninth Doctor himself, Christopher Eccleston. I hardly know how to begin expressing my utter fangirl delight at this news.

You may recall that Eccleston was might first Doctor. You may also recall that I was bitterly disappointed that he chose not to participate in the 50th anniversary celebrations. Everything I had read for years about him and his time on Doctor Who indicated that he had no interest in engaging formally with the fandom, nor intention to do so.

Then in July 2018, at London Film and Comic Con, he made his first convention appearance.

“Okay,” I told myself, “I guess the press of all his various projects has finally convinced him to attend a few of the big, multi-fandom cons. Too bad I never go to those.” And I shrugged a little sadly. I figured maybe after five or ten years of that, he might consent to come to a Doctor Who convention, and eventually make his way to Gally. I did not see this announcement coming.

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Confession #114: I’ve Come Full Circle on Rose

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Several months ago, I got my daughters to agree to watch an episode of Doctor Who with me—just one. I told them if they didn’t like it, they didn’t have to watch any more. It turned out, though, that they did quite like it, and we ended up watching another right away.

Since then, we’ve watched a number of stories together, from Series Ten to The Monster of Peladon to Dalek. With the summer holidays winding down and a new school year starting, we’ve come to something of a viewing standstill (though I’ll admit to not being overly anxious to push forward, as the next two episodes in the queue are Love & Monsters and Fear Her…), but now that we are ~85% through Rose’s time as a (regular) Companion, I have to say it’s made me think about her differently—again.

When I first started watching, Rose was my everything. I fell in love with the show and the Doctor through her, totally reading their relationship—starting with Nine—as romantic. I even had my own headcanon about exactly when each fell for the other, and when each ~realized~ they’d fallen for the other. I made notes (I’m that kinda nerd).

I spent a great deal of Series Four (which was airing as I caught up to it) waiting with bated breath for Rose’s return. It couldn’t come fast enough for me. Although Donna replaced her as my favorite modern Companion (until Series Ten), for several years I had nothing but fondness for Rose. Then I started interacting with The Fandom.

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Nu-View #17: The End of Our Beginning

Bad Wolf / The Parting of the Ways (Series One, Eps. 12-13; 2005)
Viewed 20 Mar 2014

Doctor/Companion: Nine, Rose Tyler
Stars: Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper
Preceding Story: Boom Town (Nine, Rose)
Succeeding Story: The Christmas Invasion (Ten, Rose)

The Doctor plops himself down into a big, red comfy chair in the Diary Room, looks straight at the camera, and declares in disbelief, “You have got to be kidding!” Oh, Doctor… How could you predict my reaction to this past weekend so perfectly?


Source – bbc.co.uk – © 2005 BBC

As the Ladies sit down together to watch the final two episodes of Nine’s all-too-short tenure, I’m finally happy and relaxed. I’ve spent a frantic week preparing to put our house back on the market, and it’s finally wrapped up; the listing will go live the next day. The only downer is knowing we’re saying goodbye (again) to the Doctor who started my love affair with this whole crazy show.

We’re all ready for a good time. As the TARDIS crew each settle into the games in which they’ve been inserted, the quips fly around the room. Trin-E and Zu-Zana use the defabricator on Jack, who then assures them, “Ladies, your viewing figures just went up.”

jA’s eyes sparkle. “I’d like to be watching that channel!”

Over with the Anne Droid, Rose’s competitor Rodrick (played by Paterson Joseph, an actor whose name has popped up now and again in “who could be the next Doctor” lists) explains the most basic rules of the Game Station to her. “It’s play—or die.”

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Nu-View #16: Dining with the Enemy

Boom Town (Series One, Ep. 11; 2005)
Viewed 11 Feb 2014

Doctor/Companion: Nine, Rose Tyler
Stars: Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper
Preceding Story: The Doctor Dances (Nine, Rose)
Succeeding Story: Bad Wolf (Nine, Rose)

The fact that we happened to watch this particular episode the day before I left for Gally was totally fortuitous for me. Among other things, having it fresh in my mind helped me appreciate having Annette Badland (who played Margaret / Blon Fel-Fotch Passameer-Day Slitheen) at the con.


Source – bbc.co.uk – © 2005 BBC

Better yet, the re-watch reminded me what a profound episode it is.

It begins with a reminder of how we first met the unfortunate Slitheen family. “I hate those guys,” interjects jA. “They’re ishy.” And it seems “Margaret” hasn’t changed much beneath, even if she has taken on an air of public service, heading up the Blaidd Drwg project.

And so it proceeds, though the first half of the episode is mainly the slightly silly, doesn’t-make-sense-if-you-look-to-hard fare we’ve come to expect from Who. RTD exhibits a bit of a tin ear for dialog in a place or two—e.g., when Blon takes Cathy the reporter to the loo with her, so she can shed her skin suit and kill the woman, then makes a seemingly rude noise upon entering the stall. Cathy comments, “Sounds like we got here just in time!” Incredulous, jA asked, “Who does that?” Perhaps we can give RTD a pass on that one, though, as he’s presumably never experienced a communal ladies’ room moment firsthand.

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Nu-View #15: Reliving “Everybody Lives!”

The Empty Child and The Doctor Dances (Series One, Eps. 9-10; 2005)
Viewed 19 Nov 2013

Doctor/Companion: Nine, Rose Tyler
Stars: Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper
Preceding Story: Father’s Day (Nine, Rose)
Succeeding Story: Boom Town (Nine, Rose)

After seven months’ hiatus (yes, I know—dirty word), the Ladies are finally back together to watch the Ninth Doctor again. They began the evening in high spirits. “I love coming back to this season; it’s what I fell in love with,” jA declared, and jO and I gave knowing nods.


Source – bbc.co.uk – © 2005 BBC

Speaking of things we love, jA needed her memory jogged. “Is this where Jack comes in?”

“Oh, yeah,” came jO’s appreciative affirmation.

After that, there are surprisingly few comments; mostly we’re all more interested in watching the action unfold. Now and again, though, something will trigger a comment.

For instance, when the Doctor explains his consternation to Nancy (“It’s not a real phone; it’s not connected.”), jE quickly adds, “Neither am I.” Or when Nancy and her little band of kids settles down to someone else’s dinner, jA observes, “That’s a lot of place settings for a family of, like, four…”

Mostly, I keep my thoughts to myself, not wanting to interrupt the others’ enjoyment of the show. I can’t help thinking, though, what a minx Rose is, or how Moffat won a writers’ bet by working “Chula” into one of his scripts, or how full of British patriotism this episode it (“a mouse in front of a lion”). And even though the CG is already pretty dated, eight years down the road, Dr. Constantine’s transformation is still utterly horrifying. That’s body horror at its best.

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A Dark, 21st Century Doctor

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Review of The Doctors Revisited – Ninth Doctor

No matter who ends up being our favorite, I think if we’re honest with ourselves, each fan instinctually compares every other Doctor to the one they see first. Whether you declare that one “your” Doctor or simply your first, everyone else is, on some level, automatically compared with the one who set your personal standard.


Source – bbc.co.uk – © 2013 BBC

Thus it is for me with Eccleston. Sure, I became a Tennant fan, and consider him “my” Doctor because it was him who cemented my fandom—but Eccelston’s Ninth Doctor defined the Doctor for me, and watching him in the role always feels like coming home.

I was gratified that those interviewed (including Neil Gaiman, Steven Moffat, Marcus Wilson, Nicholas Briggs, Noel Clarke (Mickey Smith), Corey Johnson (Henry van Statten), and John Barrowman (Capt. Jack Harkness)) picked up on some of the same things that drew me to Nine. For one thing, he was always sure of himself—no “absent-minded professor” vibe to this guy. (This could explain why it took me a while to warm to, for example, T. Baker’s Four, who often seemed at a loss.) Further, he doesn’t have to be busy, busy, busy to be in control. As Gaiman put it, “He doesn’t do anything quite a lot and yet he’s still the center of attention.”

There’s a distinctive darkness about him, too. Perhaps one reason I so love Dalek is that moment when he first comes face-to-face with the eponymous creature. We’ve only ever seen this Doctor (and on first viewing for me, that meant the Doctor) be confident; even on Platform One when things went wrong, his “that’s funny” face is not one of “how unexpected; now what?” but of “I’ve just found a new puzzle to solve.” Here, though, suddenly confronted with not only a known-dangerous foe but also a reminder of the atrocity he had been forced (now in vain?) to commit, he stands before us stripped to the bare emotions. His whole arc is about showing us how damaged he is. Moffat expanded on that idea as follows:

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Meanwhile, In an Alternate Universe…

Review of Scream of the Shalka (webcast)

DVD Release Date: 17 Sep 13
Original Air Date: [online webcast] 13 Nov – 18 Dec 2003
Doctor/Companion: Alternate Ninth, Alison, the Master
Stars: Richard E. Grant, Sophie Okonedo, Derek Jacobi
Preceding Story: Shada [webcast] (Eight, Romana II)
Succeeding Story: N/A

In the year or two leading up to the 40th anniversary of Doctor Who, fans knew not to expect much. The Movie had made a brave effort at reviving the flagging franchise, and now everyone just knew it was deader than a proverbial doornail. Nothing official was being done to commemorate the milestone, and the future of the show seemed to be relegated to alternative media.

Enter webcasts. The Web seemed to be where everything was at these days. Naturally, the BBC decided that if it were to continue the Doctor Who storyline at all, it would be online. Thus was born the idea of a series of webcasts, to star an entirely new, Ninth Doctor.

As we know by now, things went wahooney-shaped when it was announced in September 2003 that the show would be returning to television proper. Richard E. Grant’s stellar Ninth Doctor became obsolete before he’d even made a proper appearance. But somewhere, in some alternate universe, the show didn’t make it back to tellie, and we all know and love Grant as the Ninth Doctor instead of Eccleston.

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Nu-View #14: Strength Through Adversity

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Father’s Day (Series One, Ep. 8; 2005)
Viewed 04 Apr 2013

Doctor/Companion: Nine, Rose Tyler
Stars: Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper
Preceding Story: The Long Game (Nine, Rose)
Succeeding Story: The Empty Child (Nine, Rose)

I know the Ninth Doctor isn’t everyone’s cup of tea (especially with last week’s frankly unsurprising news that Eccleston definitely will not be participating in the 50th), but great heavens, is he ever mine.


Source – bbc.co.uk – © 2005 BBC

While Father’s Day doesn’t grab me the same way that Dalek does, it serves a vital purpose in terms of character development. Of course, the “character” in this case is actually the relationship between the Doctor and Rose. (Just a heads-up, in case you haven’t seen the episode: the rest of the post is pretty spoilery.)

Rose decides she wants to see her long-dead father and the Doctor questions her motivation. When she passive-aggressively suggests he can’t do it, he responds that “I can do anything. I’m just more worried about you.” And that, effectively, is the theme of the whole piece.

But first we have to see Rose be an utter idiot (some would argue there should be an “again” in that sentence). The Doctor loves her enough (however you define that love in your own headcanon) to do something dangerous to please her. “What ever happened to the ‘you can’t cross your own timeline’ thing?” wondered jE. Of course, it all backfires. The second Rose rushes to save Pete. “Ruh roh,”says jO. The camera pans back to Nine’s furious face. “RUH roh…” (I suspect jO hasn’t seen this since I first hooked her on the show, some four years ago.)

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