Jack Rooke’s sitcom Big Boys returns to Channel 4 in January, and the details of the new run have landed.
Big Boys, Jack Rooke’s autobiographical sitcom about his experience at university, was one of the comedic treats of last year.
Derry Girls’ Dylan Llewellyn and Jon Pointing play two disparate young men, Jack and Danny, who find themselves as roommates in their first year of University. The former is closeted and sensitive, the latter is full of boorish bonhomie, but despite their differences they form a touching, tender bond, and Rooke’s writing covers everything from Jack exploring his sexuality to Danny’s mental health.
It proved a hit for Channel 4, which didn’t waste an awful lot of time in ordering up more episodes. Those episodes are nearly with us, too.
What’s more, we now have a synopsis for series two, which reads as follows:
Series...
Big Boys, Jack Rooke’s autobiographical sitcom about his experience at university, was one of the comedic treats of last year.
Derry Girls’ Dylan Llewellyn and Jon Pointing play two disparate young men, Jack and Danny, who find themselves as roommates in their first year of University. The former is closeted and sensitive, the latter is full of boorish bonhomie, but despite their differences they form a touching, tender bond, and Rooke’s writing covers everything from Jack exploring his sexuality to Danny’s mental health.
It proved a hit for Channel 4, which didn’t waste an awful lot of time in ordering up more episodes. Those episodes are nearly with us, too.
What’s more, we now have a synopsis for series two, which reads as follows:
Series...
- 11/15/2023
- by Jake Godfrey
- Film Stories
The end of the year is the traditional time to take stock, tally up and remember the highlights of what has been, at times, a very strange old run of it. It also happens to be the point of the year when a lot of us manage to down tools for a little bit and find ourselves in need of viewing recommendations.
If that’s you, and you’re in the market for some excellent new and returning British drama and comedy, then our writers share their favourites of 2022 below. This list of 15 (plus a few others we had to mention) was arrived at via democracy and an impressively complicated points-awarding system, and represents the most popularly recurring and highly rated favourites nominated by our UK feature writers and reviewers. See if you agree with any of the choices, and if there are other British series you want to sing the praises of,...
If that’s you, and you’re in the market for some excellent new and returning British drama and comedy, then our writers share their favourites of 2022 below. This list of 15 (plus a few others we had to mention) was arrived at via democracy and an impressively complicated points-awarding system, and represents the most popularly recurring and highly rated favourites nominated by our UK feature writers and reviewers. See if you agree with any of the choices, and if there are other British series you want to sing the praises of,...
- 12/29/2022
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
Time’s Up U.K. has issued a statement regarding actor John Barrowman’s appearance on a British talk show, in which he claimed that repeatedly exposing his penis on set and in interviews “absolutely is not” sexual harassment.
There have been multiple reports of Barrowman, who has appeared in shows including “Doctor Who” and “Torchwood,” exposing himself publicly for over a decade. On Tuesday, the Scottish-born American actor appeared on ITV’s “Lorraine” to discuss the incidents, which he admitted to, albeit with various caveats.
“The assertion by John Barrowman that his well-documented actions do not constitute sexual harassment reveals yet again the need for the entertainment industry to underline and reassert expected standards of behaviour of which this is wholly unacceptable,” a spokesperson for Time’s Up U.K. told Variety. “Flashing people Is sexual harassment and it is never funny.”
In 2008, during an appearance on daytime talk show “Loose Women,...
There have been multiple reports of Barrowman, who has appeared in shows including “Doctor Who” and “Torchwood,” exposing himself publicly for over a decade. On Tuesday, the Scottish-born American actor appeared on ITV’s “Lorraine” to discuss the incidents, which he admitted to, albeit with various caveats.
“The assertion by John Barrowman that his well-documented actions do not constitute sexual harassment reveals yet again the need for the entertainment industry to underline and reassert expected standards of behaviour of which this is wholly unacceptable,” a spokesperson for Time’s Up U.K. told Variety. “Flashing people Is sexual harassment and it is never funny.”
In 2008, during an appearance on daytime talk show “Loose Women,...
- 11/23/2021
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
2020 in British TV comedy brought us Maisie Williams as a kickass survivalist in a pickle, and a new parenting comedy from the hugely talented Simon Blackwell and Chris Addison starring Martin Freeman.
To add to that, there was also a fresh batch of comedians playing exaggerated versions of themselves in self-penned sitcoms, including Katherine Ryan, Mae Martin, Sara Pascoe, Kayleigh Llewellyn, Lucy Beaumont and Jon Richardson.
Here’s the skinny on all those new shows and more. Here’s what arrived in 2019, and here are the new British TV dramas that arrived in 2020.
Breeders
After their excellent 2014 relationship comedy Trying Again, Chris Addison and Simon Blackwell teamed up on a new series, this time about the trials of parenthood. Martin Freeman and Daisy Haggard played parents in this ten-part half-hour comedy, a co-production between Sky in the UK and FX in the US. Watch the first trailer here.
Bumps
Available...
To add to that, there was also a fresh batch of comedians playing exaggerated versions of themselves in self-penned sitcoms, including Katherine Ryan, Mae Martin, Sara Pascoe, Kayleigh Llewellyn, Lucy Beaumont and Jon Richardson.
Here’s the skinny on all those new shows and more. Here’s what arrived in 2019, and here are the new British TV dramas that arrived in 2020.
Breeders
After their excellent 2014 relationship comedy Trying Again, Chris Addison and Simon Blackwell teamed up on a new series, this time about the trials of parenthood. Martin Freeman and Daisy Haggard played parents in this ten-part half-hour comedy, a co-production between Sky in the UK and FX in the US. Watch the first trailer here.
Bumps
Available...
- 1/12/2021
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
Happy birthday, Mr. David Tennant! April 18th marks the day the Doctor Who star turns 49 years young, so let’s take a moment to celebrate one of the most popular Time Lords there’s ever been.
Way back in 2005, the 34-year-old Tennant made his debut as the Tenth Doctor, assuming the iconic role after predecessor Christopher Eccleston bowed out after just 13 episodes. The Scotsman went on to lead the show through one of its most beloved periods in its 50 plus-year history before he handed over the sonic screwdriver 10 years ago in “The End of Time: Part 2.”
But he’s never really stopped playing the Doctor since. In 2013, Tennant returned opposite Smith and guest Doctor John Hurt for the big 50th anniversary special, and in recent years he’s reprised the character on audio numerous times for Big Finish Productions. As a lifelong Doctor Who fan, Tennant’s part of the Whovian family for life.
Way back in 2005, the 34-year-old Tennant made his debut as the Tenth Doctor, assuming the iconic role after predecessor Christopher Eccleston bowed out after just 13 episodes. The Scotsman went on to lead the show through one of its most beloved periods in its 50 plus-year history before he handed over the sonic screwdriver 10 years ago in “The End of Time: Part 2.”
But he’s never really stopped playing the Doctor since. In 2013, Tennant returned opposite Smith and guest Doctor John Hurt for the big 50th anniversary special, and in recent years he’s reprised the character on audio numerous times for Big Finish Productions. As a lifelong Doctor Who fan, Tennant’s part of the Whovian family for life.
- 4/18/2020
- by Christian Bone
- We Got This Covered
Lionsgate-backed comedy The Goes Wrong Show has been renewed by the BBC for a second season.
The series, produced by Mum producer Big Talk Productions and Mischief Screen, is based on the latter’s eponymous play from the team behind Peter Pan Goes Wrong and A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong.
The first season followed the Cornley Drama Society undertaking another overly ambitious endeavour, held back by prolific over-actor Robert Grove, the screen-hogging Sandra Wilkinson and the artistically mistrusted Dennis Tyde. The half-hour episodes are described as “theatrical catastrophe”.
The Goes Wrong Show is written by and stars the original founding Mischief Theatre members including Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields alongside Nancy Zamit, Charlie Russell, Bryony Corrigan, Greg Tannahill, Dave Hearn and Chris Leask. It is filmed in front of a live studio audience.
Lionsgate sells internationally in a deal similar to its arrangement for Sharon Horgan-penned Motherland.
The series, produced by Mum producer Big Talk Productions and Mischief Screen, is based on the latter’s eponymous play from the team behind Peter Pan Goes Wrong and A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong.
The first season followed the Cornley Drama Society undertaking another overly ambitious endeavour, held back by prolific over-actor Robert Grove, the screen-hogging Sandra Wilkinson and the artistically mistrusted Dennis Tyde. The half-hour episodes are described as “theatrical catastrophe”.
The Goes Wrong Show is written by and stars the original founding Mischief Theatre members including Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields alongside Nancy Zamit, Charlie Russell, Bryony Corrigan, Greg Tannahill, Dave Hearn and Chris Leask. It is filmed in front of a live studio audience.
Lionsgate sells internationally in a deal similar to its arrangement for Sharon Horgan-penned Motherland.
- 2/14/2020
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Billie Piper’s Rose Tyler still has one of the most memorable exits from Doctor Who in the show’s history, with that final scene with her and the Tenth Doctor on a beach being an emotional high point for the series. Since that moment, Piper has popped up for small cameos as well as appearing in Big Finish audio dramas alongside David Tennant. Now, Big Finish have announced that Rose is returning for her own series – Rose Tyler: The Dimension Cannon – and she’s bringing her family with her.
The Dimension Cannon was first mentioned in the 2008 episode “Journey’s End,” in which Rose explained how her parallel universe Torchwood team had created a device allowing her to leap between worlds. But, just as it was finished, the multiverse began collapsing. Very inconvenient, right? Now, Big Finish is aiming to show us what happened during Rose’s journeys through...
The Dimension Cannon was first mentioned in the 2008 episode “Journey’s End,” in which Rose explained how her parallel universe Torchwood team had created a device allowing her to leap between worlds. But, just as it was finished, the multiverse began collapsing. Very inconvenient, right? Now, Big Finish is aiming to show us what happened during Rose’s journeys through...
- 11/26/2018
- by David James
- We Got This Covered
"Scallops. You've got a bath full of scallops." Check out this quirky trailer for a very odd indie comedy called Scottish Mussel, which is an awkward play on words considering this is a romantic comedy and yet it's also about mussels, meaning molluscs. Scottish Mussel is the directorial debut of actress Talulah Riley, who also stars in the film as the conservationist beauty who falls for an an illegal pearl fisher. Martin Compston plays a "Glaswegian chancer" who head to the Scottish Highlands to make money diving for pearls with his two friends. The romance angle is extremely cliched, with the obvious aspect of the two of them hating each other before she convinces him that mussels are worth saving. The cast includes Morgan Watkins, Joe Thomas, Harry Enfield, Rufus Hound, Camille Coduri & Marianna Palka. Dive in. Here's the official trailer (+ UK poster) for Talulah Riley's Scottish Mussel, direct...
- 9/6/2016
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Stars: Raffaello Degruttola, Steven Waddington, Rebecca Atkinson, Jody Marriott Bar-Lev, Kacey Barnfield, Camille Coduri, Josh Cohen, Shelley Conn, Collette Cooper, Dan Davies, Skye Lucia Degruttola, Simone Lahbib, David Elliot, Sadie Frost, Christopher Fulford, Abhin Galeya | Written and Directed by Raffaello Degruttola
Flim The Movie is a very clever, very funny mockumentary. It was a surprise hit at Raindance Film Festival 2014 and despite a low budget and miniscule marketing spend found itself nominated for a British Independent Film Award alongside big hitters like Calvary and The Imitation Game. The story centres around a hapless, wannabe Bollywood director called Ravi (played by Raffaello Degruttola). He claims to have made at least one short film back in India and has come to the UK to make his first feature film. Capturing this is the Nick Broomfield-cum-Louis Theroux documentarian Scott (played by Steven Waddington).
As well as star in it, Degruttola produced and directed it.
Flim The Movie is a very clever, very funny mockumentary. It was a surprise hit at Raindance Film Festival 2014 and despite a low budget and miniscule marketing spend found itself nominated for a British Independent Film Award alongside big hitters like Calvary and The Imitation Game. The story centres around a hapless, wannabe Bollywood director called Ravi (played by Raffaello Degruttola). He claims to have made at least one short film back in India and has come to the UK to make his first feature film. Capturing this is the Nick Broomfield-cum-Louis Theroux documentarian Scott (played by Steven Waddington).
As well as star in it, Degruttola produced and directed it.
- 5/4/2015
- by Stuart Wright
- Nerdly
Four years after his last directorial outing 4321, Noel Clarke steps back into the director's chair for The Anomaly - a high-concept sci-fi thriller that star Ian Somerhalder has dubbed "The Bourne Identity meets Memento".
As if calling the shots wasn't demanding enough, Clarke also takes on the lead role, playing a soldier who only experiences consciousness for 9 minutes and 47 seconds at a time. It's dizzying for his protagonist, and for the audience along for the ride too. Digital Spy sat down with Clarke to discuss making the film, throwing in Doctor Who cameos and why he's still reaching for the stars.
The Anomaly is the first film you've directed that you haven't written the script for - what was it about Simon Lewis's story that hooked you in?
I just really liked the fact that Simon had written something that could be quite high concept, but at the same...
As if calling the shots wasn't demanding enough, Clarke also takes on the lead role, playing a soldier who only experiences consciousness for 9 minutes and 47 seconds at a time. It's dizzying for his protagonist, and for the audience along for the ride too. Digital Spy sat down with Clarke to discuss making the film, throwing in Doctor Who cameos and why he's still reaching for the stars.
The Anomaly is the first film you've directed that you haven't written the script for - what was it about Simon Lewis's story that hooked you in?
I just really liked the fact that Simon had written something that could be quite high concept, but at the same...
- 7/3/2014
- Digital Spy
Feature Alex Westthorp 16 Apr 2014 - 07:00
Alex's trek through the film roles of actors who've played the Doctor reaches Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy...
Read the previous part in this series, Doctor Who: the film careers of Patrick Troughton and Tom Baker, here.
In March 1981, as he made his Doctor Who debut, Peter Davison was already one the best known faces on British television. Not only was he the star of both a BBC and an ITV sitcom - Sink Or Swim and Holding The Fort - but as the young and slightly reckless Tristan Farnon in All Creatures Great And Small, about the often humorous cases of Yorkshire vet James Herriot and his colleagues, he had cemented his stardom. The part led, indirectly, to his casting as the venerable Time Lord.
The recently installed Doctor Who producer, John Nathan-Turner, had been the Production Unit Manager on...
Alex's trek through the film roles of actors who've played the Doctor reaches Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy...
Read the previous part in this series, Doctor Who: the film careers of Patrick Troughton and Tom Baker, here.
In March 1981, as he made his Doctor Who debut, Peter Davison was already one the best known faces on British television. Not only was he the star of both a BBC and an ITV sitcom - Sink Or Swim and Holding The Fort - but as the young and slightly reckless Tristan Farnon in All Creatures Great And Small, about the often humorous cases of Yorkshire vet James Herriot and his colleagues, he had cemented his stardom. The part led, indirectly, to his casting as the venerable Time Lord.
The recently installed Doctor Who producer, John Nathan-Turner, had been the Production Unit Manager on...
- 4/15/2014
- by louisamellor
- Den of Geek
Edge of Heaven: ITV, 9pm
Brand new comedy drama starring The Inbetweeners' Blake Harrison and Doctor Who's Camille Coduri. Wham! fan Judy runs a 1980s-themed B&B in Margate, which is also home to her husband - chef Tandeep - and her two grown children, Alfie and Ann-Marie. Tonight's premiere episode sees Alfie's life plans fall apart when his fiancée Carly leaves him at the altar.
Stella: Sky1, 9pm
Tonight sees Stella's professional skills tested when she accidentally shuts Michael's hand in the car bonnet. A girls' night out to see TV star Rylan Clark causes trouble for Emma when she continues to fool around with Marcus, Luke has an important question for Zoe and Big Alan asks Celia out for dinner. X Factor star turned Big Brother's Bit on the Side TV presenter Rylan guest stars.
Nurse Jackie: Sky Atlantic, 10pm
If Stella didn't fulfil your hankering...
Brand new comedy drama starring The Inbetweeners' Blake Harrison and Doctor Who's Camille Coduri. Wham! fan Judy runs a 1980s-themed B&B in Margate, which is also home to her husband - chef Tandeep - and her two grown children, Alfie and Ann-Marie. Tonight's premiere episode sees Alfie's life plans fall apart when his fiancée Carly leaves him at the altar.
Stella: Sky1, 9pm
Tonight sees Stella's professional skills tested when she accidentally shuts Michael's hand in the car bonnet. A girls' night out to see TV star Rylan Clark causes trouble for Emma when she continues to fool around with Marcus, Luke has an important question for Zoe and Big Alan asks Celia out for dinner. X Factor star turned Big Brother's Bit on the Side TV presenter Rylan guest stars.
Nurse Jackie: Sky Atlantic, 10pm
If Stella didn't fulfil your hankering...
- 2/21/2014
- Digital Spy
Edge of Heaven ITV
Camille Coduri (Nuns on the Run) is set to star in the new ITV sitcom “Edge of Heaven.” Wham! Fan Judy (Coduri) runs an 80s themed Bed and Breakfast with her husband Tandeep (Nitin Kundra). The building’s permanent residents include the duo’s adult offspring Ann-Marie and Alfie. She’s a former solder while he’s a lovesick loser. The cast also includes Adrian Scarborough (Upstairs, Downstairs) and Marcia Warren (Vicious). Writer and creator Robert Evans (Stella) also appears in the show which is set to debut this Spring.
N Conrad
Click here to friend Best British TV on Facebook or here to follow us on Twitter. You can also find us on Google+ by clicking here.
Camille Coduri (Nuns on the Run) is set to star in the new ITV sitcom “Edge of Heaven.” Wham! Fan Judy (Coduri) runs an 80s themed Bed and Breakfast with her husband Tandeep (Nitin Kundra). The building’s permanent residents include the duo’s adult offspring Ann-Marie and Alfie. She’s a former solder while he’s a lovesick loser. The cast also includes Adrian Scarborough (Upstairs, Downstairs) and Marcia Warren (Vicious). Writer and creator Robert Evans (Stella) also appears in the show which is set to debut this Spring.
N Conrad
Click here to friend Best British TV on Facebook or here to follow us on Twitter. You can also find us on Google+ by clicking here.
- 2/12/2014
- by Edited by K Kinsella
Jackie Tyler
Portrayed by: Camille Coduri
Doctor: Ninth Doctor, Tenth Doctor
Story: 4 stories, from “The Parting of the Ways” (June, 2005) to “Journey’s End” (July, 2008), though she appears in several other stories as Rose’s mother or Pete’s wife, separate from the adventure of the week.
Background: Jackie is the single mother of the teenaged Rose when her life is turned upside down by Rose joining the Doctor in the Tardis. She ends up embroiled in several of the Doctor’s adventures. Despite her (comparatively) lengthy association with the series, we know very little about her outside of her relationship with her daughter.
Family/Friends: Jackie married Pete Tyler and the two had a somewhat contentious relationship, despite caring for each other deeply. When Rose was a baby, Pete died after being hit by a car. An adult version of Rose was there at the time and held Pete while he passed,...
Portrayed by: Camille Coduri
Doctor: Ninth Doctor, Tenth Doctor
Story: 4 stories, from “The Parting of the Ways” (June, 2005) to “Journey’s End” (July, 2008), though she appears in several other stories as Rose’s mother or Pete’s wife, separate from the adventure of the week.
Background: Jackie is the single mother of the teenaged Rose when her life is turned upside down by Rose joining the Doctor in the Tardis. She ends up embroiled in several of the Doctor’s adventures. Despite her (comparatively) lengthy association with the series, we know very little about her outside of her relationship with her daughter.
Family/Friends: Jackie married Pete Tyler and the two had a somewhat contentious relationship, despite caring for each other deeply. When Rose was a baby, Pete died after being hit by a car. An adult version of Rose was there at the time and held Pete while he passed,...
- 11/30/2013
- by Kate Kulzick
- SoundOnSight
Hammer made a nice little comeback last year with The Woman in Black. While I wasn’t the hugest fan of the film, I dug the atmosphere it brought to audiences. It also felt like British Horror, something I admired even more. Hammer has created six audio dramas that vary from 30 to 45 minutes each and will be released in a digipack later this week. If you order the digipack, you will get the audio files immediately. You can also buy the tracks individually if you want to give one of them a listen. Between this and Tales from Beyond the Pale, it’s nice to see horror audio making a comeback. We have included toggles below which include synopses & links below.
Check out all the Audio Dramas by clicking here The Box Synopsis
The culmination of the Wainfleet Maritime College sea rescue and safety course is a session in The Box,...
Check out all the Audio Dramas by clicking here The Box Synopsis
The culmination of the Wainfleet Maritime College sea rescue and safety course is a session in The Box,...
- 7/22/2013
- by Andy Triefenbach
- Destroy the Brain
The Inbetweeners star Blake Harrison and Doctor Who's Camille Coduri are to star in a new ITV comedy drama.
Edge of Heaven follows the owners of a 1980s-inspired bed and breakfast in Margate, Broadcast reports.
Coduri will play Judi, with Celebrity Juice's Nitin Kundra as her husband Tandeep and Harrison as her son Alfie.
After being jilted by his bride-to-be at the altar, Alfie turns to his family - including his uncle (Gavin & Stacey's Adrian Scarborough) - for support.
The six-part Edge of Heaven will be penned by Robert Evans, the writer behind three episodes of Sky1's Stella.
The series - from Sherlock producer Hartswood Films - will begin production in August.
> Birds of a Feather to return after 15 years for new series on ITV...
Edge of Heaven follows the owners of a 1980s-inspired bed and breakfast in Margate, Broadcast reports.
Coduri will play Judi, with Celebrity Juice's Nitin Kundra as her husband Tandeep and Harrison as her son Alfie.
After being jilted by his bride-to-be at the altar, Alfie turns to his family - including his uncle (Gavin & Stacey's Adrian Scarborough) - for support.
The six-part Edge of Heaven will be penned by Robert Evans, the writer behind three episodes of Sky1's Stella.
The series - from Sherlock producer Hartswood Films - will begin production in August.
> Birds of a Feather to return after 15 years for new series on ITV...
- 6/20/2013
- Digital Spy
Hammer Chillers is a new horror anthology series that will premiere June 7th. Available first as six 30-minute weekly downloadable episodes from the Hammer website, the collected series will also be released on CD July 26th with special bonus material.
Writers for the first series include some of the biggest names working in horror today: Stephen Volk (Ghostwatch, The Awakening), Mark Morris (Toady, Vampire Circus), Stephen Gallagher (Chimera, The Eleventh Hour), Christopher Fowler (The Bryant and May Mysteries), Paul Magrs (The Brenda and Effie Mysteries, Doctor Who) and comedian Robin Ince (Radio 4’s The Infinite Monkey Cage).
“Hammer films have been a massive influence on my writing from the days when I sneaked into the White Palace cinema in my home town of Pontypridd to see the likes of The Devil Rides Out and The Vampire Lovers,” says Stephen Volk. “Now to be writing an audio drama under the Hammer...
Writers for the first series include some of the biggest names working in horror today: Stephen Volk (Ghostwatch, The Awakening), Mark Morris (Toady, Vampire Circus), Stephen Gallagher (Chimera, The Eleventh Hour), Christopher Fowler (The Bryant and May Mysteries), Paul Magrs (The Brenda and Effie Mysteries, Doctor Who) and comedian Robin Ince (Radio 4’s The Infinite Monkey Cage).
“Hammer films have been a massive influence on my writing from the days when I sneaked into the White Palace cinema in my home town of Pontypridd to see the likes of The Devil Rides Out and The Vampire Lovers,” says Stephen Volk. “Now to be writing an audio drama under the Hammer...
- 5/13/2013
- by The Woman In Black
- DreadCentral.com
Cameron K McEwan Aug 16, 2016
Cameron sings the praises of 25 classic and modern Doctor Who adventures that went underappreciated. See what made the cut below...
Doctor Who fans can be an odd bunch at times (and by that I mean all the time), what's gold to one is dross to another. And when you think everyone is agreed on a genuine stinker (Timelash, for example), you'll find it has admirers in abundance. But what's here are some of the stories that, for whatever reason, get overlooked, underseen and, perhaps, undervalued - in no particular order.
The Awakening
Two-parters often get forgotten about (in classic Doctor Who at any rate) and this Peter Davison story, whilst perhaps best known to Who fans for a famous blooper featuring a horse, has some tremendous imagery and beautiful location shooting. Best of all is the villain of the piece, The Malus, who put the willies...
Cameron sings the praises of 25 classic and modern Doctor Who adventures that went underappreciated. See what made the cut below...
Doctor Who fans can be an odd bunch at times (and by that I mean all the time), what's gold to one is dross to another. And when you think everyone is agreed on a genuine stinker (Timelash, for example), you'll find it has admirers in abundance. But what's here are some of the stories that, for whatever reason, get overlooked, underseen and, perhaps, undervalued - in no particular order.
The Awakening
Two-parters often get forgotten about (in classic Doctor Who at any rate) and this Peter Davison story, whilst perhaps best known to Who fans for a famous blooper featuring a horse, has some tremendous imagery and beautiful location shooting. Best of all is the villain of the piece, The Malus, who put the willies...
- 4/25/2013
- Den of Geek
Feature Cameron K McEwan 26 Apr 2013 - 07:00
Cameron sings the praises of twenty-five classic and modern Doctor Who adventures that deserve more love. See what made the cut below...
Doctor Who fans can be an odd bunch at times (and by that I mean all the time), what's gold to one is dross to another. And when you think everyone is agreed on a genuine stinker (Timelash, for example), you'll find it has admirers in abundance. But what's here are some of the stories that, for whatever reason, get overlooked, underseen and, perhaps, undervalued - in no particular order.
The Awakening
Two-parters often get forgotten about (in classic Doctor Who at any rate) and this Peter Davison story, whilst perhaps best known to Who fans for a famous blooper featuring a horse, has some tremendous imagery and beautiful location shooting. Best of all is the villain of the piece, The Malus,...
Cameron sings the praises of twenty-five classic and modern Doctor Who adventures that deserve more love. See what made the cut below...
Doctor Who fans can be an odd bunch at times (and by that I mean all the time), what's gold to one is dross to another. And when you think everyone is agreed on a genuine stinker (Timelash, for example), you'll find it has admirers in abundance. But what's here are some of the stories that, for whatever reason, get overlooked, underseen and, perhaps, undervalued - in no particular order.
The Awakening
Two-parters often get forgotten about (in classic Doctor Who at any rate) and this Peter Davison story, whilst perhaps best known to Who fans for a famous blooper featuring a horse, has some tremendous imagery and beautiful location shooting. Best of all is the villain of the piece, The Malus,...
- 4/25/2013
- by louisamellor
- Den of Geek
Using the new Doctor Who Limited Edition Gift Set, your noble author will make his way through as much of the modern series as he can before the Christmas episode,The Snowmen.
If Lars von Trier had thought of it, it would have been one of the Five Obstructions. Make a Doctor Who episode, but don’t use The Doctor. It rather limits the drama, doesn’t it? far from it, it gives you a chance to do a story about friends and mystery, and…
Love And Monsters
by Russell T Davies
Directed by Dan Zeff
Elton Pope (Not that Elton, and not that Pope) is relating his adventures on his video blog. He’s just met The Doctor, who was fighting an alien in a disused industrial building…as he does. Elton begins to relate his history a bit – he remembers seeing The Doctor in his kitchen back with he was a toddler,...
If Lars von Trier had thought of it, it would have been one of the Five Obstructions. Make a Doctor Who episode, but don’t use The Doctor. It rather limits the drama, doesn’t it? far from it, it gives you a chance to do a story about friends and mystery, and…
Love And Monsters
by Russell T Davies
Directed by Dan Zeff
Elton Pope (Not that Elton, and not that Pope) is relating his adventures on his video blog. He’s just met The Doctor, who was fighting an alien in a disused industrial building…as he does. Elton begins to relate his history a bit – he remembers seeing The Doctor in his kitchen back with he was a toddler,...
- 12/23/2012
- by Vinnie Bartilucci
- Comicmix.com
Using the new Doctor Who Limited Edition Gift Set, your noble author will make his way through as much of the modern series as he can before the Christmas episode, The Snowmen. Come along.
Shop girl Rose Tyler was not expecting much to change in her life. In a very brief time, she faces down animated plastic shop dummies, teams up with a 900 year old time traveler, and helps save the world. There’s no doubt why the episode was named after her…
Rose
By Russell T. Davies
Directed by Keith Boak
“Nice to meet you, Rose; run for your life!”
After a long dark silence, peppered only with books, audio adventures, comics, magazines and…well, ok, but no new TV adventures, Doctor Who returned to the air with a lot to prove, and not a lot of time to do it in. Russell T. Davies had to grab the new audience,...
Shop girl Rose Tyler was not expecting much to change in her life. In a very brief time, she faces down animated plastic shop dummies, teams up with a 900 year old time traveler, and helps save the world. There’s no doubt why the episode was named after her…
Rose
By Russell T. Davies
Directed by Keith Boak
“Nice to meet you, Rose; run for your life!”
After a long dark silence, peppered only with books, audio adventures, comics, magazines and…well, ok, but no new TV adventures, Doctor Who returned to the air with a lot to prove, and not a lot of time to do it in. Russell T. Davies had to grab the new audience,...
- 12/5/2012
- by Vinnie Bartilucci
- Comicmix.com
We knew going into this episode of "Doctor Who" that we'd be watching the penultimate appearance of Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill as the Doctor's companions Amy Pond and Rory Williams. And we knew the title -- "The Power of Three" -- promised something special. This would be a hour devoted to Amy, Rory and The Doctor coming together to solve a crisis, right?
Surely we'd see how each of them have an important role to play in a storyline that delivers on the title's implicit promise: Three is better than one, or two. We'd nod our heads and think, "Yes, the Doctor is at his best with these companions." Because they're the companions we're watching right now, we love them dearly, and we're at the emotional high point of our relationship with them. We know they're going to leave, but we don't yet know how it will happen.
That...
Surely we'd see how each of them have an important role to play in a storyline that delivers on the title's implicit promise: Three is better than one, or two. We'd nod our heads and think, "Yes, the Doctor is at his best with these companions." Because they're the companions we're watching right now, we love them dearly, and we're at the emotional high point of our relationship with them. We know they're going to leave, but we don't yet know how it will happen.
That...
- 9/23/2012
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
This weekend I made my first trip to the 23rd installment of Gallifrey One – a Doctor Who convention held annually in La – and it was nothing short of Outstanding. The defining characteristic of this event is that it is 100% fan-run. This means every staff member and volunteer is participating out of sheer love and enjoyment of the series, and it shows in every detail of the programming. Chairman Robbie Bourget and his team planned a fantastic convention with an enormous variety of interviews, discussion panels and screenings.
The charm of this convention goes beyond the quality of programming. Just as important to the overall experience is the character of the fans. I am pleased to say I have never been surrounded by so many friendly, enthusiastic, and kind people that I immediately felt a connection with. This inclusive, family-friendly atmosphere was in no way diminished by a record-breaking attendance of 3,183 people.
The charm of this convention goes beyond the quality of programming. Just as important to the overall experience is the character of the fans. I am pleased to say I have never been surrounded by so many friendly, enthusiastic, and kind people that I immediately felt a connection with. This inclusive, family-friendly atmosphere was in no way diminished by a record-breaking attendance of 3,183 people.
- 2/21/2012
- by Andrea Shelton
- Obsessed with Film
This is a big weekend for Whovians in the U.S with the Gallifrey One convention (#gally) taking place in La.
In it’s 23rd year this convention is pretty much as official as it gets ‘across the pond’ (no Pond intended) and has seen a huge swell of interest thanks to the intense promotional work and focus on American Who fandom since we first saw The Impossible Astronaut in 2011.
While not an “official” convention like the one to be held in Cardiff in late March, this one is crammed with guests that will interest both classic and current series fans (thought not Matt Smith and Karen Gillan as they are the primary focus of the official convention). Firstly, the day is being billed as a 1996 TV movie reunion with 8th Doctor Paul McGann reunited with Daphne Ashbrook, Yee Jee Tso, Eric Roberts and producer Philip Segal.
I wear a Fez now.
In it’s 23rd year this convention is pretty much as official as it gets ‘across the pond’ (no Pond intended) and has seen a huge swell of interest thanks to the intense promotional work and focus on American Who fandom since we first saw The Impossible Astronaut in 2011.
While not an “official” convention like the one to be held in Cardiff in late March, this one is crammed with guests that will interest both classic and current series fans (thought not Matt Smith and Karen Gillan as they are the primary focus of the official convention). Firstly, the day is being billed as a 1996 TV movie reunion with 8th Doctor Paul McGann reunited with Daphne Ashbrook, Yee Jee Tso, Eric Roberts and producer Philip Segal.
I wear a Fez now.
- 2/17/2012
- by James Caldwell
- Obsessed with Film
Camille Coduri has suggested that a return to Doctor Who is very unlikely. Coduri played Rose Tyler's (Billie Piper) mom Jackie in the first two series of Doctor Who and later returned for a series of guest appearances. Asked about appearing in Doctor Who again by Gay Times, the actress said that she doesn't think there's a real need for Jackie to be visited by The Doctor again. "I think that's done now. We've been back to say goodbye at least twice. You have to leave it in the past sometime really. And we left five years ago really, so it's quite a long time," Coduri explained. The star added: "People have moved on. If anyone asked me, of course I would, brilliant. It would be a great story to go back, but I think it's done and I (more)...
- 11/18/2011
- by By Justin Harp
- Digital Spy
The critics can advise you on what's good and what's bad in all aspects of life – whether it's TV, music, films or food – but at the end of the day, it's the public view that counts. A TV critic can pick apart a really bad programme until the cows come home, but if the public likes it, who cares? How else could you explain the long-running My Family – Aka, the most depressing, mean-spirited excuse for a comedy in the history of telly – a programme that seems to be derided by every critic under the sun, and yet seems to have lasted for decades. See? If the public likes something, then a critic's job sometimes feels a bit pointless.
Still, as I weep into my computer keyboard, at least I can console myself with the fact that My Family's limping to its well deserved end this year. As for Doctor Who,...
Still, as I weep into my computer keyboard, at least I can console myself with the fact that My Family's limping to its well deserved end this year. As for Doctor Who,...
- 9/7/2011
- Shadowlocked
The problem with writing a review for Army Of Doomsday (as I call it) at the time of transmission is that it's not the finished article. Back in 2006, most commentators would have summed up the big season finale as follows: Doctor and Rose find that ghosts have taken over Earth; Ghosts turn out to be Cybermen; Cybermen then use Earth as a battleground for their war against the Daleks; Doctor stops the war but at a price because Rose gets trapped in a parallel universe forever; Too much weeping and wailing at the end.
Which is a fair summary. Now fast forward a couple of years, and you'll realise that the review's not quite complete. So how's about now, you can change the bit about Rose getting trapped forever to – well, actually, Rose gets temporarily trapped because she comes back a couple of seasons later, even though The Doctor said...
Which is a fair summary. Now fast forward a couple of years, and you'll realise that the review's not quite complete. So how's about now, you can change the bit about Rose getting trapped forever to – well, actually, Rose gets temporarily trapped because she comes back a couple of seasons later, even though The Doctor said...
- 6/20/2011
- Shadowlocked
The first, and maybe rather incidental grumble about the first two parter of the 21st century revival of Who (the equivalent of a four-part story) is that it's a bit of a mouthful. It's easy enough to say, "Did you see The Deadly Assassin?" but try saying "Did you see Aliens Of London slash World War Three?" Nonsense, isn't it? If they ever re-release the post-2005 stories separately on DVD, there'll be problems. Say that this story gets re-released in 2025 with remastered running Slitheen and an all-new commentary with the remote control kid, the bloke who moans about Livingstone and the "Oy gawjus, come back and join duh party" girl – you'll need a magnifying glass to read the title down the spine.
So for practical reasons, I'll refer to the story as Aliens Three – just don't get it confused with the 1992 film sequel. It's more of a compact way of summing up the story anyway,...
So for practical reasons, I'll refer to the story as Aliens Three – just don't get it confused with the 1992 film sequel. It's more of a compact way of summing up the story anyway,...
- 4/29/2011
- Shadowlocked
Sorry folks, but this review begins with one of those “I was there when...” anecdotes.
Oddly enough though, it's probably the most terrified I've been when watching Doctor Who, even more than when I was three years old and running out of the room screaming at the title music. No – this time, I was fearful of the much-touted revamp being a complete dog's dinner.
So there I was with my wife Ally, along with our friends Jacqui and Richard. It was, I think, the Saturday of the Easter weekend. We'd heard all about the big, exciting launch of Doctor Who, now bang-up-to-date for a 21st century take on a show that had once been scorned at for being cheap old hat. My expectations were not particularly high, to say the least.
And out of all of us, I was the only Who fan in the building – Ally, Jacqui and Richard...
Oddly enough though, it's probably the most terrified I've been when watching Doctor Who, even more than when I was three years old and running out of the room screaming at the title music. No – this time, I was fearful of the much-touted revamp being a complete dog's dinner.
So there I was with my wife Ally, along with our friends Jacqui and Richard. It was, I think, the Saturday of the Easter weekend. We'd heard all about the big, exciting launch of Doctor Who, now bang-up-to-date for a 21st century take on a show that had once been scorned at for being cheap old hat. My expectations were not particularly high, to say the least.
And out of all of us, I was the only Who fan in the building – Ally, Jacqui and Richard...
- 4/19/2011
- Shadowlocked
This Thursday evening on BBC Three Doctor Who's Greatest Moments takes a look at that third vital component of the series - the enemies. With contributions from David Tennant, Sarah Parish, Camille Coduri, Tracy-Ann Oberman, John Barrowman, Derek Jacobi, Mark Gatiss, Freema Agyeman, Corey Johnson, Eric Loren, Nicholas Briggs, Zoe Wanamaker, Lesley Sharp, Michelle Collins, David Morrissey, Annette Badland, Tom Goodman-Hill, Sean Gilder, Dan Starkey and Ryan Sampson, this final installment of...
- 8/30/2009
- by Christian Cawley info@kasterborous.com
- Kasterborous.com
io9.com has featured the return of Billie Piper to Doctor Who alongside its daily dose of spoilers and other nonsense, and thrown a heavy sprinkling of Rose and Jackie Tyler photos into the mix. That's right, Camille Coduri is also returning to Doctor Who one last time - and it seems there is more to this particular return than meets the eye. Not only are Jackie and Rose Tyler wandering around the Powell Estate - rumours suggest this takes place in 2005, before the Doctor and Rose ever met...
- 5/18/2009
- by Christian Cawley info@kasterborous.com
- Kasterborous.com
If the new Doctor Who is more about the Doctor, as a real person, than the original show ever was, then it’s more about his companions as real people, too. Forget about conspiracy theories from outer space here: the “alien of London” is Rose, finding herself suddenly disconnected from her life and the people she loves, and who love her. It seems like such an obvious question: Didn’t anyone miss Jo Grant or Sarah Jane Smith or Tegan Jovanka when they went off traveling with the Doctor? Surely someone must have noticed they were missing. Did they get evicted from their apartments for nonpayment of rent? Did their friends call the police? Were any of them -- like poor Mickey Smith -- accused of being responsible for their disappearances? It’s absolutely brutal how upset Rose is over how upset her mother has been. And how upset Jackie...
- 5/16/2009
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
All through my viewing of The Last Detective, familiar faces kept popping up. One episode features, in a small role, Peter Davison’s own daughter, Georgia Moffat (not playing a relation to his character, though) -- she, of course, played the Doctor’s cloned offspring in “The Doctor’s Daughter.” That same episode of Last Detective also featured Camille Coduri, who has played Rose’s mum Jackie in numerous episodes of Doctor Who. That episode just about imploded from meta Doctor Who referencing. Battlestar Galactica’s Jamie Bamber appears in the fourth series episode “Dangerous’ Liaisons”:...
- 2/3/2009
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.