Doctor Who IV - Everything Whovian - Would you like a jelly baby?

[ChrisIII]

Yeah, I think Star Trek TOS (Series and movies) was probably the most ambitious with the aliens. A lot of the spin-offs (TNG and later) didn't really have that much non-humanoid aliens, and the makeup for the humanoid aliens was often not that elaborate either (or not even tried with some races that were identical to humans. Then again we're talking about Doctor Who here where the main character is an alien who on the exterior is identical to humans!). There's some exceptions of course. Oddly enough even the JJ Abrams films don't seem to have that many elaborate non-humanoid aliens either despite the larger budget (Although there were plans for redesigned Gorn and Salt Vampires for a prison scene cut out of the film).


Doctor Who I always think has been somewhat more inventive with the non-humanoid aliens although they did look often look cheap at times.

[Enigmatic Undead]

John Hurt awarded Knighthood!

John Hurt, who played the War Doctor in the 50th Anniversary special The Day of the Doctor, has been awarded a knighthood in the Queen's New Year Honours list.

The actor was given his award for services to drama. Sir John Hurt has had a career lasting more than five decades, appearing in films such as The Elephant Man, where he played John Merrick, Nineteen Eighty-Four where he played Winston Smith and Scandal where he played Stephen Ward. On Television he is best known for playing Caligula in the renowned I, Claudius and Quentin Crisp in The Naked Civil Servant. His distinctive voice has been used in many productions such as Watership Down and the animated The Lord of the Rings.

Also honoured is actor James Corden who played Craig Owens alongside the Eleventh Doctor, who has been made an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, or OBE. Corden, who was also honoured for services to drama said he was delighted at with award.

[Crimson Knight]

John Hurt awarded Knighthood!

Well, he's certainly earned it. Well done, John. Hope all those years without didn't 'Hurt'.

[Kyer]

Yeah, I think Star Trek TOS (Series and movies) was probably the most ambitious with the aliens. A lot of the spin-offs (TNG and later) didn't really have that much non-humanoid aliens, and the makeup for the humanoid aliens was often not that elaborate either (or not even tried with some races that were identical to humans. Then again we're talking about Doctor Who here where the main character is an alien who on the exterior is identical to humans!). There's some exceptions of course. Oddly enough even the JJ Abrams films don't seem to have that many elaborate non-humanoid aliens either despite the larger budget (Although there were plans for redesigned Gorn and Salt Vampires for a prison scene cut out of the film).


Doctor Who I always think has been somewhat more inventive with the non-humanoid aliens although they did look often look cheap at times.

Oh well....I did grow up surrounded by cheap aliens (Everything from reruns of Buck Rogers/Flash Gordon movie serials on so I'm not really complaining. Meaning everything has been pretty much uphill from that starting point.)

Sir John Hurt. Sounds good.
Any other Doctor Who actors/actresses that received such an honor via their royalty?

Aw dang! Now that I re-read the article I can 'hear' John Hurt's voice from Watership Down but can't recall which character he voiced.

[Crimson Knight]

http://insidetv.ew.com/2015/01/14/do...s/#more-199854

Paul Kaye, of Game of Thrones and Dennis Pennis fame, has joined the two part Season 9 premiere.

Also includes Morven Christie, Arsher Ali, Colin McFarlane, Steven Robertson, Neil Fingleton, Zaqi Ismail and Sophie Stone

[Enigmatic Undead]

Finished watching Season 14 over the last several weeks and really enjoyed it.

"The Masque of Mandragora" was a pretty good start to the season. A proper period piece with an interesting alien threat, some swashbuckling and evil cult with creepy masks. Hieronymous looked particularly menacing in his purple robes and grotesque golden mask. The scene where he takes off his mask to reveal that he has become Helix energy was a cool visual. We also get a walk around the TARDIS interior and visit the secondary control room. I got a kick out of Sarah Jane picking up the Second Doctor's recorder and playing it.

"The Hand of Fear" is Sarah Jane Smith's final story as a regular companion. I liked the special effects makeup and costume design of Eldrad's female form. The Kastria sets weren't too bad either. Not a fan of the TARDIS console though. Elisabeth Sladen and Tom Baker's last words to each other were kind of touching and I liked how they ended on a joke.

"The Deadly Assassin" is the first appearance of The Master after Roger Delgado's death a few years earlier. Here The Master is decrepit and very much in need of a new regeneration. While the special effects makeup isn't great and looks a bit cheap it's still very creepy. I always like seeing more of Gallifrey and this episode is full of stuffy old Timelords. It also introduces several aspects of Time Lord society like the Matrix, Rassilon and the Eye of Harmony, the twelve regeneration limit and their trademark robes with the large collar and skull caps. It's also notable for being one of the few episodes in the series that doesn't feature a companion. The Doctor is at his best when trying to survive Goth's assault in the Matrix and the final showdown against the Master is pretty epic.

"The Face of Evil" introduces Leela as a regular companion. I laughed when Tom Baker was surrounded and he bluffs "Now drop your weapons or I'll kill him with this deadly jelly baby." I thought it interesting that the villain Xoanon was a super computer with split personalities one of which was based on the Doctor himself. I love that after The Doctor refuses her Leela just runs into the TARDIS, pushes a random button and the TARDIS dematerializes.

"The Robots of Death" I quite liked this serial and the setting reminded me a bit of Dune which apparently was intentional. Thought the design of the Voc robots was creepy and the sets looked pretty good as well. The story itself is an interesting 'whodunit' in the style of Agatha Christie. D84 telling Leela "Please do not throw hands at me" made me laugh. He was one of the better robots in the series and it's a shame he couldn't stick around as a companion.

"The Talons of Weng-Chiang" An excellent period piece set in Victorian London and one of the most popular stories of the entire series. For a six part serial it doesn't drag one bit and the atmosphere is eerie throughout. It introduces the characters Jago and Litefoot who would go on to star in their own audio series. I genuinely found them to be very likable. The giant sewer rats are menacing and the design of Mr Sin the Peking Homunculus was pretty creepy. The scene where Leela begins eating with her bare hands and Professor Litefoot joins in always makes me laugh. Leela also gets some decent action scenes even jumping out a glass window at one point. Michael Spice is quite good as the villain Magnus Greel. The final showdown was suspenseful and the resolution very satisfying.

[Angilasman]

^Those first three years or so of Tom Baker's run are the strongest of the original series. Love 'em!

[Kyer]

Some really great episodes listed there.
Loved the Deadly Assassin for the insight into the Time Lord's society. FoE showcased a wonderful bit of psychology. Robots of Death was just...chilling and Talons made my Sherlock Holmes loving self squee. Leela was my favorite companion bar The Brig and Jamie up until Jack Harkness.

... I just realized I may have a thing for small-knife wielding characters. Jamie and Leela would probably have gotten along well.

[Mister Mets]

Series 14 does seem to be quite good. That five serial stretch from The Deadly Assassin to Horror of Fang Rock (Series 15's first storyline) might just be the best in the series' history.

[Xalfrea]

Recently I bought the Doctor Who supplementary book "How to be a Time Lord". If any of you are familiar with the Jedi/Sith books of Star Wars, and the Fantastic Beasts book of Harry Potter, this is kinda like that. In-universe, it's pretty much what it says on the tin: A guidebook for Gallifreyans who've went to the academy and are ready to become Time Lords themselves. However it's given a different touch by the 11th Doctor, who either writes scribbles, draws extra things, or "pastes" papers and sticky notes adding his own connotations and notes to it. In fact at a certain point he pretty much rips apart half of the guide and sticks his own notes into there, hijacking the table of contents with about the middle portion of the book being completely about him, before it goes back to the "original" end stuff of the book.

From what I can assume from reading it, the 11th Doctor either makes this during his endless battle on Trenzalore, or shortly before he regenerates into the 12th. If you believe the first one, it is rather odd since he obviously wouldn't know he would regenerate. Of course you can just chalk that up to it being a fun book and not give a damn. The book as a whole totes itself as being a "guide" for the 12th Doctor, and given of what we've seen in Series 8, I'd like to think that the 12th Doctor found the book and either just ignored it and stuck it on his shelf, or just threw it in the bin.

Here's a basic overview of the book:
The Time Lords
The Location of Gallifrey
Places of Gallifrey: the Citadel, the Death Zone, Arcadia, The Wastelands
Differences between Time Lord and Human biology
Time Lord regenerations. Amusingly, they tote every single one of the regens seen in the show as different types, such as The Watcher (4-5), The Disciplinary (2-3), The Swirl (6-7), The Morph (7-8), and The Slow Explosion (10-11)
The Time Lord Academy and the different Chapters: Patrex, Arcalian, Prydonian
The Time Lord Syllabus
The Untempered Schism (Aka the thing that made The Master completely bonkers)
Time Lord Academy examination
The Time Lord Council
Notable Time Lords: Rassilon, The Master, The Rani, The Doctor, and Omega. Amusingly, there was a page about The Corsair, but The Doctor pasted his own sheet over it talking about Jenny, River Song, The Meta Crisis 10th Doctor, and DoctorDonna.
Protectors of Gallifrey: The Chancellery Guard and the War Council
Time Lord History: War with the Racnoss-Trial of the 6th Doctor
TARDIS guide
The Seal of Rassilon

At this point, The Doctor's stuff takes over, "drowning out" most of the guide.
Introduction
First Doctor-Eleventh Doctor. It also points out the numbering discrepancy.
Companions. Clara (With Oswin and Victorian Clara), Amy, Rory, Donna, Martha, Jack and Rose get their own pages, with the Classic companions being bunched together across 4 pages
River Song
The Paternoster Gang
K-9
Finding your ideal companion
Essential items (Sonic, Psychic Paper, Fez, Brainy Specs, etc)
Enemies of the Time Lords: Adipose, Cybermats, Parasites, Daleks, Cybermen, Weeping Angels, The Silents, Sontarans, Silurians, Ice Warriors, Zygons, Judoon, Ood, Whisper Men, Snowmen, Peg-Dolls, Sycorax
How to run
Doctor exercises
Things not to say to humans
All About UNIT
How to play the recorder
Jelly Babies
How to eat Fish Fingers and Custard
A guide to gross things
How to use your celery
How to spot aliens in disguise
Why Bow ties are cool
How to use your umbrella
How to stop alien invasions
Guide to Awesome gadgets: Sonic Screwdriver, Timey-Wimey Detector, Vortex Manipulator, Visual Recognition System, Psychic Paper
How to fly my TARDIS
Desktop designs
Top TARDIS tips
Photo Album-pictures across the 50 years of Doctor Who
My quick guide
Things I can do

At this point, it goes back to the "original guide".
Time Lord technology: Rassilon's Gauntlet, Psychic Container, Chameleon Arch, Genesis Ark, The Moment.
Time Lord Myths and Legends: The Toclafane, The Shakri, Rassilon's Tower, The Three Little Sontarans
Time Lord Rules. Amusingly one of the rules is "Don't mix unusual forms of alien food.
Find your Time Lord name*
Time Lord Pledge and Certification

The Doctor then adds his own certificate at the end.

*1. Use the first letter of your first name to discover your title:
A-F: Professor
G-L: The
M-R: Lord
S-Z: Grand

2. Use the first letter of your last name to get your main Time Lord name:
A-Venterur
B-Saint
C-Winner
D-Explorer
E-Shield
F-Infinite
G-Challenger
H-Meteor
I-Protector
J-Vortron
K-Athlete
L-Zenarck
M-Dimensioneer
N-Golven
O-Immortal
P-Dynamo
Q-Shadow
R-Pioneer
S-Force
T-Champion
U-Voyager
V-Typhoon
W-Dextive
X-Moorid
Y-Cosmos
Z-Defender

(My name ended up being Lord Golven)

[Mighty Roman]

Thanks for posting this Xalfrea! . My Time Lord name is Grand Pioneer.

[ChrisIII]

So with Tennant being cast as the Purple Man in the Marvel/Netflix series Jessica Jones, and Eccleston of course having played the Thor 2 villain Makelith or however you spell it, I'm wondering what Marvel villains would be right for Smith and Capaldi.

Of course a number of other Who stars have been Marvel cinematic universe characters, with Karen of course being Nebula and Jenna having a brief role in Captain America The First Avenger as Bucky's date.

For Smith I think Arcade would be a good choice. Question is who has the film rights to Arcade, since although he's been recently sort of bothering the Avengers, he started as mainly an X-men and Spider-Man villain.

[Crimson Knight]

So with Tennant being cast as the Purple Man in the Marvel/Netflix series Jessica Jones, and Eccleston of course having played the Thor 2 villain Makelith or however you spell it, I'm wondering what Marvel villains would be right for Smith and Capaldi.

Of course a number of other Who stars have been Marvel cinematic universe characters, with Karen of course being Nebula and Jenna having a brief role in Captain America The First Avenger as Bucky's date.

For Smith I think Arcade would be a good choice. Question is who has the film rights to Arcade, since although he's been recently sort of bothering the Avengers, he started as mainly an X-men and Spider-Man villain.

Someone cosmic, and serious, cosmic, for Capaldi, someone mad, quiet, crazy, for Smith.

[Xalfrea]

OK, now I have a dilemma. Thankfully not of the twin variety.

Been a Whovian for over a year, and I think I finally want to get a Sonic Screwdriver toy. Gonna go with 12th since he's my first. However I'm aware that 12's is the same as 11's on the show. So a few questions.

1. Does the 12th sonic toy have any positive or negative differences from the 11th sonic toy?
2. Does only one company make the Sonics? Or are there multiple releases?
3. I'm aware they're made of plastic and not metal, but is the plastic at least durable enough that it won't break?
4. How hard are they to come by? I mainly ask because I live in Philippines, which of course is only slowly catching onto Doctor Who.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

So with Tennant being cast as the Purple Man in the Marvel/Netflix series Jessica Jones, and Eccleston of course having played the Thor 2 villain Makelith or however you spell it, I'm wondering what Marvel villains would be right for Smith and Capaldi.

Of course a number of other Who stars have been Marvel cinematic universe characters, with Karen of course being Nebula and Jenna having a brief role in Captain America The First Avenger as Bucky's date.

For Smith I think Arcade would be a good choice. Question is who has the film rights to Arcade, since although he's been recently sort of bothering the Avengers, he started as mainly an X-men and Spider-Man villain.

I'm gonna say Marvel owns the rights to that character. His 1st appearance was Marvel Team-Up as we know. Also the fact Fox and Sony seem lax on a lot of characters they should have rights to. It shocks me Ronan was never claimed for Fantastic Four , since he's basically showed up a lot in FF.